26 Oct 2016

The United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) Bobonong based pastor Tebogelo Taolo says the church has something to write home about since its existence in pre-independence Botswana.

He was speaking in an interview as the dust has just settled in the country’s golden jubilee celebrations.

The pastor said the church has enjoyed freedom of worship freely as enshrined in the country’s constitution and has done so with the responsibility that comes with it.

Pastor Taolo said his church has been teaching school going children Christian values in order to groom them into becoming responsible adults.

He said the church has been engaged in charitable causes like giving to the less privileged and the female congregation conducted a village clean-up campaign in the recent past.

The pastor said his church has contributed to peace and tranquility prevailing in the country as one of the oldest churches in Botswana.

Pastor Taolo said UCCSA was one of the oldest churches in Botswana also known as one of the mainline churches.

The church started as the London Missionary Society (LMS) has contributed immensely to the lives of many people the church he said would later be transformed into being UCCSA in 1967 following its unification with other churches.

He said the church has played a significant role in instilling Christian values in the early enrollment of primary school students who used its premises as the school.

According to Mr Leso Dintwa who is the headman of Sehena ward in Bobonong, the church served as the base for a primary school education which accommodated students in lower grades from sub A to standard three.

Mr Galeboe Ditsele who was also a student at the church in 1959 said Sub-A was the starting grade and from Sub-A up to standard three they were taught under trees in the church within the church’s premises.

Mr Ditsele said students from standard four to six were later housed at the nearby Bobonong Primary School where there were only two classrooms.

“Those were the times when we used slate to write on using slate pencil,” he stated. The slate, he said was used as an exercise book.

He said he remembered a teacher of Xhosa descent from South Africa recalling him only as Zita as some of the teachers of the time did not speak Setswana.

He also recalled that Dr Gaositwe Chiepe who would later have a distinguished and illustrious career in the puplic service used to visit the school as one of the education inspectors under the colonial administration.

Ms Mosetsanagape Kgwatalala, narrated that the church was constructed in 1916 and opened its doors in 1918. Ms Kgwatalala, 84, reminisces that the school had laid a firm foundation for future leaders.

“I remember people like Mr Michael Dingake and the late political stalwarts former Members of Parliament for Bobirwa Messrs Walter Mosweu and James Maruatona as some of the school alumni,” she said .

Mr Ishmael Mbe a veteran educationist also the church’s staunch member spoke passionately about his former school saying discipline standards were very high and teachers administered corporal punishment to rein in wayward students.

He said he started his sub A in 1954 and recalled the late Mr Jerry Mathangwane, Messers Guard Masilo and Molaodi Lemo who he said were still alive as his former mates.

Mr Mbe said upon completion of standard four at UCCSA they were awarded primary school certificate by the Mafikeng Education Authority and another certificate when graduating standard six.

Notable luminaries include the late former Judge President of the Industrial Court Justice Elijah Legwaila and former Botswana Police commissioner, Mr Norman Moleboge. ENDS