12 Oct 2015

The French embassy, in collaboration with its associates, organised a prize giving ceremony for students who did well in the final stage of the national contest aiming at possible solutions to address climate change.

Officiating at the ceremony in Gaborone recently, Ministry of Education and Skills Development permanent secretary, Mr Richard Matlhare, appreciated the support government always got from their partners stating that such assistance brought people together to become a global community.

He said the partnership with the embassy was meant to grow the economy of the country, adding that the country cultivated economic knowledge through such partnership.

Mr Matlhare told contestants that competition was not about competing and getting small prices but rather acted as a start-up foundation to shape up their future.

He said the ministry was taking on Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP) transformation agenda, which he said going forward they needed to simplify, calling it the Education Agenda 2020.

“That simply say let’s build the right foundation at early stages,” he said.

In regard to the issue of climate change, Ambassador Anne de la Blanche said for the first time in history of climate change negotiation all nations had shown commitment to reducing the greenhouse emissions.

She said 146 countries had already published their contributions regarding the issue, gathering altogether nearly 90 per cent of the total greenhouse emissions.

She praised Botswana’s ambitious efforts in reducing the greenhouse emissions.

In finding possible ways tackling the issue of climate change, 12 Botswana secondary school students from across the country participated in a competition to raise awareness about the environmental, economic and social consequences of climate change.

Students worked on themes such as, the effects of sewage water on the environment and changing GHG pollutant into beneficial compounds.

The ceremony saw Ghanzi Senior secondary school  scooping position one followed by Goodhope Senior secondary school  and third position going all the way to Kgari-Sechele Senior secondary school..

Another exhibition prepared by Univrscience, a France institution was alongside the event, and a quiz was proposed to University of Botswana students. Prices won at the ceremony include laptops, tablets among others. Ends