17 Apr 2016

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Slumber Tsogwane has applauded the Japanese Embassy for donating a special education unit to Masupe Primary School in Maunatlala.

Speaking recently at the official handing over of a special education unit project, Mr Tsogwane said the donation was a generous and lasting gift in the form of property.

Mr Tsogwane extended his gratitude to the government of Japan through their embassy for the grant assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) donation of US$92 079.   

He said the facility would be used by children with intellectual disability in Maunatlala and "this is indeed in line with the country’s education policy of inclusive education." Masupe Primary School hosts a total enrollment of 383 pupils, out of which nine are children with intellectual disabilities.

Mr Tsogwane said the main challenge in  enrolling the pupils in mainstream schools in the country has been lack of appropriate facilities.

As such, he said the donation came at the right time as many children from Maunatlala and the neighbouring villages of Mokokwana, Mosweu, Seolwane and Lesenepole would have access to appropriate education.

He said the integration of pupils of different intellectual abilities could not have been expected to yield better results than it was experienced, and that it was upon this background that the donation would bridge such void.

He applauded Masupe Primary School management for sourcing the donation since it came at a time when many schools were without the facility due to lack of funds.

Mr Tsogwane also  said the shortage of special education unit and classrooms was still a problem in some schools and explained that the government would address the situation through the backlog eradication exercise.

He said some of the schools were going to benefit from the package by construction of additional classrooms and maintenance of toilets and teachers quarters among others.

He said he was optimistic that the unit would function as it has received support from various stakeholders notably the Lady Khama Charitable Trust, which donated a 26-seater minibus and First National Bank of Botswana Foundation which donated a minibus.

He thanked all the donors who had a hand, saying it would assist government efforts intended to help in achieving one of the country’s vision 2016 pillar of an educated and informed nation. He further said the donations were a fulfilment of the Vision 2016 pillar of a compassionate, just and caring nation.

Handing over the donation, the Ambassador of Japan to Botswana, Mr Masahiro Onishi said  the donation to the school was the 40th project amongst 44 projects that his embassy has assisted under their grant scheme in Botswana since 1997.

He said in the new special education unit, 40 children from five villages have started learning.

He said the project started in December 2013 when the original application form was submitted to his embassy by the school, and that it was not an easy process because the biggest challenge was to secure transport for children who were coming from the surrounding villages. ENDS