12 May 2016

 Matshekge Senior Secondary School head, Mr Babuluki Bajiti, says teenage pregnancy and poor performance trouble his school.

Addressing a Parents Teachers Association (PTA) general meeting on May 10, he said the school aimed for excellence in all aspects, however, students pregnancies affected their efforts.

Mr Bajiti said in 2015, the school recorded 22 cases of pregnancy.

“This year, in a period of five months from January to date, the school has already registered 14 cases of pregnancies, of which 12 of these learners are from Bobonong while Lepokole and  Sefophe recorded one each”, he said.

The school head stated that there was also a lot of misconduct within the institution as students indulged in substance abuse and did not focus on their studies. 

He said this affected the general performance of students and their BGCSE results.

Mr Bajiti pointed out that for the past six years, the school had not been doing well in the BGCSE results and last year it stood at position 20 country wide with a percentage pass rate of 22.8 per cent.

He, therefore, pleaded with parents to take full responsibility of their children’s education.

Disciplinary committee chairman, Mr Modibedi Ramagapu said that students used vulgar language, something that was totally uncalled for.  

He concurred with the school head that parents must stand up for their children’s education.

PTA chairman, Mr Lesang Mokobi, urged parents to attend meetings and come for report collections.

He showed displeasure at the low number of parents who turned up for the meeting while the deputy school head, Mr Polite Mabalani, also showed a concern regarding the issue of report collection.

Mr Mabalani pointed out that during the last report collection for form 5 students, out of the 772 students only 358 reports were collected.

Mabalani said report collection was one way in which parents and teachers meet to discuss the progress of learners.

Moreover, he reminded parents of the ongoing BGCSE registration, stating that some students were not registered as candidates because they claimed to have forgotten their identity cards at home or they simply did not have them.

One of the parents who attended the meeting, Ms Kutlwano Molelu, encouraged parents to take a leading role in promoting good results in the school.

She called on parents to volunteer to work with the school, with herself being first to take on the task.

She mentioned that the Adopt a School Initiative was a way that could help improve students progress.

Furthermore, she urged women to help curb the escalating rate of teenage pregnancies by openly talking to their children regarding these issues. ENDS