20 Mar 2016

The southern region has in the wake of declining results recorded across schools resolved to strengthen Pupils Academic Empowerment Strategy (PAES) in primary schools and other strategies to reverse the tide. 

Southern District Council chairperson, Mr Mephato Reatile said  PAES would include workshopping Standard 7 teachers, study camps during holidays to assist struggling schools and enforce assessment of special learners to come up with interventions.

He said strategies have been put in place to enable the Good Hope Sub-region to support Good Hope Senior Secondary School to achieve aspirations of the turnaround strategy.

“Efforts will also be made to support Seepapitso Senior Secondary School,” he said.

On other issues, Mr Reatile complained about heightened dropout rates in Moshupa Sub-district for term one and three at all levels of education last year.

“A total of 53 pupils in primary schools have dropped out due to desertion; 24 at junior school dropped out with three of them dropping out due to pregnancy while 21 deserted,”

In addition, Mr Reatile said 24 out of the 34 students left senior school due to pregnancy while 10 deserted.

The council chair also implored schools to strengthen stakeholder partnerships and guidance and counseling programmes in order to stem the dropout rate.

On discipline, Mr Reatile relayed to the full council regional education office has started to engage both district and local leadership to share social value to improve discipline in schools.

He said thus far, meetings have been held in Mabutsane, Jwaneng and Good Hope Sub-district schools.  Ends