19 May 2016

The Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD), Mr Moiseraele Goya has said rewarding all stakeholders in the education system will contribute to the speedy restoration of the culture of excellence in public schools.

Speaking at the 2016 MoESD ministerial annual xcellence awards held recently at Adansonia Hotel in Francistown, Mr Goya said the awards signified the ministry’s continuing efforts to recognise the pivotal role that employees and other stakeholders played in the successful implementation of strategies, policies and aspirations of the ministry.

He said last year, 86 employees were awarded, but in recognition to the role played by other stakeholders, the ministry decided to include schools, regions and Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs).

He explained the ministry made a decision to motivate schools that had recorded significant highest levels of improvement as a way of encouraging upgrading in student outcomes compared to their previous record.

“We all know that the future of the next generation lies in the hands of the teachers and it is vitally important that we should strive to achieve a speedy restoration of the culture of excellence through the application of the carrot principle and we will continue to honour teachers who recognise that children deserve a better service and that no child is born to fail,” he said.

He noted that PTAs who had demonstrated commitment and dedication in their partnership with the ministry deserved to be recognised.

Mr Goya encouraged teachers to create a network platform among themselves in order to share their practices and learn from one another.

He said they should in their teaching embrace techniques and standards that will keep pace with the current developments.

Earlier on, the permanent secretary , Dr Theophilus Mooko implored all teachers to embrace the government’s five key priority areas of job creation, commitment to eradicate poverty, improving access to quality education and illuminating mother to child transmission of HIV and AIDS and the eradication of corruption in their endeavours.

Dr Mooko said the ministry stakeholders should implement school health policies through the help of programmes such as Talk Back and should be committed to producing graduates who could not only be employable but could also employ others as way of eradicating poverty.

The PS noted that his ministry performed well last year in anti-corruption initiatives but dropped this year and called upon all stakeholders to up their game.

He called on teachers and other employees in the ministry to adhere to the Public Service Charter and pledge to the nation that they will take the ministry forward as this will restore the public confidence in the education system.

A total of 15 primary schools, 10 junior secondary and three senior secondary schools were awarded for their best performance.

The South East, North East and Central regions were awarded as the best performing regions respectively while Kgatleng was awarded for the most improved region and North East and Kgatleng PTAs were awarded for their best projects