15 Mar 2017

 Deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Basic Education, Mr Simon Coles says the turnkey project consisting of five classrooms donated by Debswana at a tune of over P3.2 million, will help provide conducive learning environment and help mould learners into future leaders.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony at Seaseole Primary School, Monday March 13, Mr Coles said the project would also turn the pupils’ dreams into reality.

The project entails construction of additional classrooms and provision of associated furniture to allow for the immediate use of the facility upon handover.

Thus, Mr Coles urged the private sector to join hands in assisting government given resource challenges.

On the other hand, Orapa Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) general manager, Mr Bakani Motlhabani said diamonds in the country made an outstanding and unique impact, of which Batswana were proud of, and whose evidence was clear to the world and envied by many.

Mr Motlhabani said Debswana had, since inception, remained committed to leaving a legacy of prosperity among communities it operated in.

The company, he said, aspired to be a global benchmark diamond business adding that it also continued to explore and adopt the latest technological advancements with the aim of enhancing business and position the company strategically as a high performance organisation.

In 2014, he said Debswana took a business decision to embark on a project aimed at extracting more diamonds from the tailings mineral resource at Letlhakane Mine, adding Letlhakane Tailings Treatment project followed successful implementation of a similar technology at Jwaneng.

The Letlhakane project, he said began construction in early 2015 and was currently going to final commissioning stage. He added that the project contributed significantly to the national socio-economic development in and around Letlhakane.

Delivered through a robust social performance framework, he said the project team saw the need to sponsor construction of additional classrooms and furniture at Seaseole Primary

School, an initiative he said was in line with ‘Show we care value.’

Further, he said the initiative was classified as a flagship project given the level of sponsorship associated with it.

He also indicated that the project would be delivered as a turnkey project by Debswana team in collaboration with other key stakeholders from the Boteti Sub-district Council, hence important that it be seen through to completion and optimal use.

Gut and Mas site manager, Mr Tony Sardo said the project was an example of nation building ethos that Debswana had undertaken over the years.

Mr Sardo said children were the future and investing in their education was an investment in the future of Botswana.

The company, he said had pledged men and women’s bathrooms to be handed over after completion of the project.

Gut and Mas has been contracted for the construction of the classrooms at the school.

Parents Teacher Association chairperson, Mr Onalerona Bodule said the school had 987 pupils, 27 teachers and only nine teachers’ houses.

Mr Bodule expressed concern  about acute shortage of furniture at the school.

Nevertheless, he said the school performance had improved to 73.6 per cent in 2016. ENDS