08 Feb 2016

Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTC) has donated smart boards and sign language books worth over P400 000 to Botswana Society for the Deaf in Francistown.

Handing over the donation, DTC board member, Dr Athaliah Molokomme said the smart boards and sign language books would help pupils learn better.

Dr Molokomme, who is also the Attorney General, said the smart boards were helpful during teaching and learning as the hearing impaired learners learn visually.

She said the gadgets would not only help the learners to learn on their own when the teacher was not available, but would also enable educators to personalise learning for pupils. Dr Molokomme said the sign language books would increase and improve hearing impaired children’s English vocabulary skills and teach American sign language.

“Research indicates that all children benefit from knowing more than one language and they acquire the second language relatively quickly when they start learning it before the age of 12,” she said. She implored pupils at the centre to utilise the donation as it gives them a chance to realise their dreams.

Dr Molokomme said DTC was committed to restoring the dignity of members of society, and was ready to join forces with others who were also engaged in the same effort.

The chief education officer in the North region, Ms Outule Basimolodi said the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has gone all out to make the nation aware that the education sector needs everybody’s support in order to thrive.

Ms Basimolodi said through the Adopt-a-School initiative, the ministry was trying to facilitate private sector participation in the delivery of quality education.

“We will continue to welcome individuals, volunteers and companies to invest in the future of our nation. It could be in development and provision of infrastructure, training which is geared towards leadership empowerment for school managers, teacher development in areas such as special education, remediation and even mentoring potential leaders in our learners,” she said.

The school head, Ms Chandabona Chida said one of the strengths of the centre was that pupils excel in dressmaking, leatherworks and in sporting activities. Ms Chida said the centre won 20 medals last year at the Paralympics, which she said was proof that disability was not inability.

She, however, said the centre has a challenge of low academic performance. She, nonetheless, said they were hopeful that with the donation, academic performance would improve.

Ms Chida also lamented that there was poor parent/teachers relationships because some pupils came as far as Kasane and it becomes difficult for parents to visit the school when required to do so. Botswana Society for the Deaf board vice chairperson, Mr James Mathokgwane thanked DTC for the donation. Ends