18 Sep 2016

Most school facilities in Kweneng District are said to be in a deplorable state as observed by the environmental health department following its inspections.
“The schools, most of which are the council’s responsibility, remain an environmental concern as they are not in a good state of repair. This puts the health of learners, teachers and staff at risk, said the council chairpersdon, Mr Jeffrey Sibisibi, during opening of a full council meeting recently.
The council chairperson noted with concern that apart from the outstanding maintenance of facilities, there was also non-compliance to the council’s Occupational Health and Safety Policy, in particular where schools did not have First Aid Kits and Fire safety equipment.
“It is therefore important to continue lobbying for funding to install these amenities in schools,” he noted.
He, however, noted that the newly introduced government initiative of reception classes offered at 69 schools out of 91 in the district were doing well and the nine schools were to benefit in 2017. The council was however grateful about the fact that children were adapting very well.
Mr Sibisibi reported challenges affecting the initiative such as shortage of stationery and indoor learning materials.
The council chairman therefore appealed for parental support towards sending children when reaches four and a half to be able to start school when they attain five years plus.
He urged councilors to encourage parents in supporting their children who will be writing the 2016 examinations as they commence in October 10 with the first paper for primary schools, ending on November 11 with the last paper for BGCSE.
He also updated them on the progress of Mahupu Unified School Phase One project that had since been completed with the second Phase at 97 percent completion stage. Sporting facilities and the multipurpose hall were said to be the least complete though within target.
On other issues, he noted that the design of Molepolole Sewerege Project was still far from commencing due to the unsuitability of the initial adopted Digital Terrain Model, (digitalised map) provided by the former project consultant and the Department of Surveys and Maping.
Mr Sibisibi said the problem has led to another process of re-tendering for the digitalised map in an effort to outsource the service provider for the provision of the DTM.
The unsuitability of the available DTM was discovered during the inception or design audit stage in March 2015. This is a major challenge because the draft preliminary redesign cannot commence without the DTM, “ he said. ENDS