14 Aug 2016

 The Botswana Scout Association (BSA) received a set of marching drums from BOT50 on Friday (Augut 12).

When handing over the drums, the Minister of Infrastructure Science and Technology, Nonofo Molefhi, said the drum sets were procured to support scouts to execute the assignment given by Bot50 to provide 50 scouts in all kgotlas for inspection by dikgosi. 

Minister Molefhi, who is also the chief commissioner for Botswana Scout Association (BSA) stated that the drum sets would be an enabling tool for scouts to entertain at all golden jubilee activities in all districts.

He said they would provide edutainment to the community and assist in attracting other young people to the scout movement. 

“The golden jubilee and activists across the country would be coloured with the beautiful khakhi and the precise scouts,” he said.

Molefhi said he was proud of Bot50 and BSA efforts towards independence, saying the scouts would be flourishing the beautiful nature of Botswana.

He encouraged the scouts members to continue working hard for the independence celebrations and asked them to remember they were doing it for the benefit of their country.

He said such a time, it was appropriate to celebrate and reflect on what scouting had done for Botswana since 1966.

The minister stated that the scout movement was the largest youth educational movement globally and even in Botswana, it was the largest youth voluntary movement aimed at contributing to the development of young people through a value system based on promise and law. 

He said the scout movement aimed at character building of young people and behavioural change of youths.

Molefhi further said scouting remained one of the movements that instill discipline in young people and prepare them to be good citizens that could stand for challenges. 

He pointed out that ‘scout is one tool that Botswana can use to mould the behaviour of children in a non-formal education environment,’ and therefore asked members to lead by example.

He also said the movement should be taken further, advocating that every school should have a scout movement adding that even at tertiary level scouting should be recognised saying it was the best approach that could be used to build character in an ill society.

For his part, the deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Culture, Kgopotso Ramoroka said they had given scout movement an opportunity to lead the golden jubilee in all the main kgotlas, where the dikgosi would inspect their parade.

Ramoroka said they had been chosen to be the spotlight to the nation and urged them to use the drums to embrace change and show the path road map to positive mindset to their peers.

He stated that all around the country, youth in scouting would be seen as examples in the community by leading community goodwill projects and government youth empowerment schemes because all scouts are disciplined and loyal.

“Go out, recruit new members and show them the value of scouting, not just as a game but as a way of life” he stated. ENDS