06 Jul 2016

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development says they are aware that there are primary schools in Gaborone that have some of the classes being taught outside.

Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said, “while this is the case, it is important that some of these schools are oversubscribed in terms of number of students, while in other instances the facilities are provided but schools are under-subscribed; sometimes resulting in artificial shortage across the district,” she said.

She added that the situation was largely influenced by the preference of parents on where they wanted their children schooled for various reasons, such as the performance of the school.

The assistant minister said six out of 20 schools have reached the maximum school size as required, adding that nonetheless they have more pupil admitted beyond the available facilities.

Ms Tshireletso said the ministry has come up with primary schools facilities Backlog Eradication Programme that was aimed at annually availing funds for construction of additional facilities for primary schools with emphasis currently on classroom, toilets and staff housing.

“There is currently no plan to purchase caravans as it would not be financially prudent to run a parallel programme for provision of classrooms as the plan is already in place to address the backlog,” she said.

She stated that recently, completed projects included Taung and Galaletsang, both of which are currently within the defects liability period while at Tsholofelo construction was ongoing.

“For the current financial year (2016/17), funding has been availed for Ithuteng, Mophane, Masa and Boswa through Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) and the contractors are currently mobilising for the start of these projects,” she said.

The assistant minister was responding to a parliamentary question posed by the Member of Parliament for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa, who wanted to know if the assistant minister was aware that there were some primary schools in the city of Gaborone where teaching was done under trees due to lack of classrooms.

He also wanted to know when such classrooms would be built, if there were any plans to buy caravans for such schools and which schools are covered under the Backlog Eradication Programme. ENDS