28 Apr 2013

The Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Keletso Rakhudu has commended the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) for playing a meaningful role towards the realisation of Vision 2016 pillars.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony of a special classroom block for children with disabilities at Tonota Primary School by BDC over the weekend, Mr Rakhudu said the gesture was in line with the two pillars of an educated, informed nation and a compassionate, just and caring nation.

BDC, he noted, also addressed the objectives of the Revised National Policy on Education that embraced the acceptance of children with special educational needs as equal and valued members of the school community.

Mr Rakhudu said government was  in the process of ensuring children with special needs were catered for in schools and that this was done through special education introduction component in all training programmes as well as the introduction of support teams and partnership between all stakeholders.

BDC Board Chairman, Mr Blackie Marole said the area MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi approached BDC in June 2011 to assist by constructing a special education classroom block.

"We agreed to the request because it was in line with the tenets of their community social responsibility policy."

He said P1.57 million was committed to the construction of the classroom block and he was hopeful that the block would serve the community of Tonota as it would improve the learning experience of students with disability in the village.

Mr Marole said BDC believed that responsible entrepreneurship was essentially about maintaining economic success and achieving commercial advantage and also giving back to the community in a manner that would build reputation and enhance livelihoods of people within which companies operate.

The school head, Ms Marea Siyangaphi said though the school opened in 1914 the special education unit was opened in 2006. She said currently the unit had 51 students who have been using classroom for normal students.

The Director of Education in the Central Region, Ms Molebi Morolong said funds were a challenge to ensure schools were user friendly to the children with disability.

She however said the block of classrooms in Tonota would be furnished by June this year as they knew about it since the construction commenced.

The Managing Director of KEBO Holdings, a company that was engaged by BDC to construct the classrooms block, Mr Kennedy Setimela donated six computers and cups to the special education unit. ENDS