26 Jun 2016

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Moiseraele Goya said action should be taken against students who vandalise school property.

Speaking at the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) ground-breaking ceremony at Palapye JSS (PSS) recently,Mr Goya urged the school management and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to take action against students who will vandalise school property after completion of cyclic maintenance undertaken at PSS under ESP.

The project is undertaken by Ministry of Education and Skills Development to the tune of P11.8m.

Mr Goya who is also the area MP said PSS was not in good condition hence this affected performance of both teachers and students. He said almost all window panes and doors were broken as well as tattered ceilings.

He said even teachers’ houses were also inhabitable hence this in a way affected performance at the school. 

He said the school was in a dilapidated state as a result of vandalism caused by students.

He said government is currently using more funds to maintain facilities at the school that were vandalised by students.

He said parents of students who vandalise school property should be notified and made to pay for maintenance, adding “as government we cannot afford to keep maintaining vandalised facilities.”

He urged parents as stakeholders to discipline their children and ensure that the school remains in good condition. He also urged students to stay away from drugs, alcohol and indulging in sexual activities.

Regarding teachers’ accommodation, Mr Goya raised concern over teachers who share houses, adding that he will do his best to ensure that teachers in Palapye do not share houses.

He said his ministry is still in negotiation talks with Botswana Housing Corporation to purchase 20 houses for teachers.

Once the school has been maintained, Mr Goya said he wants PSS to improve performance.

For his part, the school head, Mr Thatayaone Kefilwe thanked government for including his school in the ESP, adding that his school was in a dilapidated state.

He said PSS is a very old school that was established in 1964 as a primary school and was upgraded to a junior school in 1990.

The 18 stream school with 60 teachers, he said has not been doing well in the past five years with 38 per cent pass attained in the 2015 Junior Certificate examination.

He said prior to the commencement of maintenance, broken doors, window panes and cracked floors were the order of the day. He said learning and teaching were very difficult as a result of harsh weather conditions.

He said the school has now upped its target to 84 per cent, adding that both students and teachers are motivated to improve performance.

He said the project started in February and is expected to be complete by August, adding that all doors and window panes have been fitted. 

He said fitting of tiles is ongoing whilst painting has been completed.

Chairperson of PTA, Mr Molefe Modise said the school strives to be in the top five in the 2016 JC examinations.

He said by the end of the year, PSS will be a different school, thanking government for addressing the challenge of dilapidated academic facilities and teachers’ houses. He said PTA will join hands with the school to up performance. Ends