10 Sep 2015

It is critical to transform the country’s standard of education into quality education that is relevant to the job market.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Letlhakane , Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Moiseraele Goya said education should equip learners with skills that could benefit them in their future endeavours. He said the ministry has been in negotiations with Zimbabwe to assist with lecturers who could help upgrade the level of education in brigades.

He noted that there were brigades countrywide and that the ministry was working round the clock to establish how they could be enhanced to cater for a large number of students.

He expressed concern that local mines employed expatriates because brigades did not produce graduates with relevant skills. The assistant minister said the aim was to ensure that brigades produce graduates with skills that were in demand.

Mr Goya further noted that research has revealed that in order to address the high rate of poor results in Botswana, education has to be introduced at grassroots level.

He noted that reception classes have been introduced in primary schools and would be provided in all the schools to bridge the gap. He said through the Education Training Strategic Sector Plan (ETSSP), the education system would be upgraded to have equity and life-long learning.

He called for support from parents, and the community to join hands with the government in developing the education system.

He urged parents to instil discipline on their children, saying it could be helpful in enhancing their studies and paving the way for a bright future. Mr Goya noted that taking care of children and ensuring that they were well dressed and fed before embarking for classes was instrumental in enhancing learning.

He implored teachers to put more effort in upgrading the level of performance amongst slow- learners in schools. In addition, he proposed that a make-shift classroom could help to curb the shortage of classrooms that is prevalent in Boteti.

Meanwhile, one resident, Ms Oganamang Galeragwe complained that learners in classes at lower levels were being taught by different teachers. Another resident, Mr Meshack Thanke complained about the large number of learners per classroom, saying it could be contributing to poor results.

Mr Thanke also requested the minister to state the budget that has been allocated the Boteti Sub-district for the financial year 2015/2016.

Mr Otsile Mmatlakgomo expressed concern that Letlhakane has 11 outdoor classrooms with 473 pupils. He said pupils only go into indoor classrooms when they do Standard Five, adding that it has aggravated the poor performance. The Central District education regional director, Mr Mokwaledi Koko explained that teachers were being moved or exchanged for various reasons ranging from maternity, transfer, study leave and illness.

Mr Koko said 51 per cent of the education budget was for salaries of staff, 22 per cent tuition fees for tertiary students, 12 per cent subventions and 15 per cent was allocated to operations of the ministry. While the assistant council secretary, Mr Christopher Maramba admitted that there were a large number of pupils attending outdoor classes.

He said Debswana has agreed to assist in partly funding the construction of a primary school that would help reduce pupils attending outdoor classes. Ends