24 Jan 2017

The Maun branch of First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB) has donated full school uniforms worth P25 000 to 62 Qangwa Primary School pupils recently.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Maun branch FNBB manager, Ms Keolebogile Rannoane explained that First National Bank of Botswana came up with a target that every branch should raise P25 000 to help the less privileged.

Ms Rannoane said this target was set when the bank was about to celebrate 25 years in September last year, the same month that the country also celebrated its golden jubilee.

She further explained that ever since the bank’s inception in Botswana in September 1991, the bank continues to offer a helping hand to the less privileged in the country. “Just like His Excellency the

President Lt General Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama once said that ‘an educated nation is a proud nation’, we also want to inform you that we are part of the poverty eradication programme to support our government in helping the less privileged,” she said.

She praised councillor for Qangwa, Mr Lelejwang Sokwe for working tirelessly to ensure the restoration of the pupils’ dignity.

Ms Rannoane further emphasised that one of the bank’s corporate social responsibilities was to extend a helping hand to needs identified in the community.

She also encouraged them not to hesitate to visit their offices for any community-based help. For his part, Councilor Sokwe thanked FNBB for the support and wished them luck to continue lifting lives in other parts of the country.

Mr Sokwe stated that the school’s good performance compelled him to go around knocking on private companies’ doors for help seeing that the government cannot be able to care for all Batswana.

He said that the school has been performing well academically with a pass rate of 88.8 per cent in ABC in 2015.

However, he said the results had now dropped to 78 per cent in 2016 due to poor living standards and negligence by some parents.

“Together with the bank, MP for Maun West Kgosi Tawana Moremi and other people we had to walk 20 kilometres to raise the amount. I am so thankful that we managed to raise the funds that helped us dress these students today,” he said.

He however commended the teachers for working hard to ensure that the pupils achieve good results even though they have to travel 120km on a bad gravel road to access services.

Furthermore, he pleaded with parents to join hands with teachers towards a common goal and encouraged them to always attend PTA meetings.

Qangwa school head, Ms Tsitsingwana Thuo could not stop praising First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB) for identifying and extending a helping hand to their school at the right time when schools have just reopened.

Ms Thuo said that not having a proper school uniform could demean a pupil’s self-confidence resulting in poor performance of the students in their academics.

“I really want to thank the area councillor for being able to influence FNBB in identifying our school and I now know that my students are eager to come to school with their heads held up,” she said.

For her part, Gumare Sub-district chief education officer Ms Goitsemodimo Elias expressed her gratitude towards the gesture that FNBB had showed in one of her area schools.

Ms Elias said she strongly believes that the bank has now restored the school’s academic excellence.

She said Qangwa Primary School academic excellence could be fully restored if teachers could relate to students so as to know their day to day activities therefore getting to know them better.

Parents Teachers Association chairperson, Mr Joseph Katjihangwe commended the bank and pleaded with the bank to help the students with computers to improve their academic work.

Mr Katjihangwe concluded by advising parents to stop keeping students in cattle posts as doing that was tantamount to violating their right to free education. BOPA