01 Sep 2015

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has implored lecturers and staff of Mosetse Brigade to help the government in rebranding brigades.

Addressing the brigade staff on Monday, Mr Autlwetse said  currently brigades were undermined and viewed as institutions for rejects. He said it was important for the staff as stakeholders to help change the mindset of some people who see brigades as places for those who have failed their junior and senior secondary school examinations.

He pointed out that the negative mindset needs to be dealt with, adding that at this stage every training institution needs to play its role in the education system.

He added that those that were viewed as institutions for the brightest could no longer accommodate all those that have passed.

He said it was thus crucial for negative perceptions to be addressed so that people could understand that even those with good results could go for further training at brigades and have qualifications similar to those at universities.

Furthermore, Mr Autlwetse said through the rationalisation project which they were currently undergoing, the government aims at turning around the training centres to become recognised entities. He expressed disappointment at some staff members and management who instead of marketing the brigades, give people the impression that the government has decided to close them.

 Such statements, he said, have caused confusion among parents who have children training at these centres, adding that some do not want to understand or hear about the purposes of rationalisation.

 Mr Autlwetse urged staff and management to do away with their negative statements which add to perceptions about brigades to the people they were supposed to serve.

Commenting on the assistant minister’s update, a lecturer, Mr Christopher Motsu said as concerned parties in the rationalisation process for brigades, they seem to be not given full information about what their welfare was.

 He added that at the time the government took over the institutions from the community in 2009, some of them who had been employed for many years were told they were starting afresh under government, thereby throwing away all their years of service.

 However, he said when it came to movement of staff, they were told that focus was on those who have been stationed at one place for many years.

In addition, staff members noted that they were concerned about lack of work experience, which comes in the form of attachment for their students. They noted that their students got limited practicals which only occured during practical lessons. As such, they proposed that the ministry should urge industries to engage brigade students.

 They further complained that although there was a memorandum of agreement with Central Transport Organisation (CTO) to engage their students on maintenance of government vehicles, that does not happen.

In response, the assistant minister noted that brigades have a responsibility to search for work instead of relying on government arrangements. Mr Autlwetse pointed out that they were currently reviewing the syllabus for brigades and as such attachments would be part of it.

Regarding the changes that came in 2009 for staff, the assistant minister said all their benefits for the period they worked should be the responsibility of the trust and not the government. Ends