09 Jun 2016

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen has challenged district councils to use available funds to improve teachers’ welfare.

Responding to concerns raised by Kgope Primary School head, Ms Daizy Rampipi during his visit to the school after a kgotla meeting he addressed earlier, Mr Van Der Westhuizen said as much as he was aware of the challenges facing teachers, it was important that the school management should not sit back, but be proactive in addressing challenges affecting their profession.

He said a lot needs to be done to improve teachers’ welfare in order to hold them accountable in case their performance declined. He expressed disappointment that some schools were in a bad state, but that school’s authorities often returned funds which could have been used for maintenance of facilities.

Mr Van Der Westhuizen, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kgalagadi North, bemoaned the declining academic performance of most schools, saying it symbolised lack of passion by most stakeholders in the learning process.

The minister challenged all stakeholders in the learning industry to play significant roles in their children’s education, adding that people  need to avoid being self-centered and to pull together in striving for excellence.

Ms Rampipi had complained about a number of challenges contributing to the decline in academic performance.Issues raised by Ms Rampipi affecting performance included lack of parental involvement, poor supply of teaching aids, consumables as well as the appalling situation of bats destroying school facilities together with the school kitchen which  she said required urgent attention.

Meanwhile, the senior assistant council secretary for Molepolole /Lentsweletau Mr Gofaone Kgabanyane, said they were aware of the bats situation, adding that it was prevalent in almost every school in the sub district.

Mr Kgabanyane highlighted that they had tried to arrest the situation by fumigating the affected areas. He, however, said it proved to be less effective. He said they have resorted to using clear roof sheets that would ultimately scare away the bats.

He said if funds permits, they intend on addressing the situation during the current financial year, but could not be drawn into disclosing schools in the priority list, saying the undertaking would be based on the most affected schools. ENDS