19 Jul 2017

Kgosi Oateng Setlhodi of Chanoga has expressed concern about the escalating number of pupil drop outs from both primary and junior schools.

Kgosi Setlhodi revealed in an interview that a number of students in his village had abandoned school and were currently rooming the streets, adding that what worsened the situation was that parents were not interested to find out why their children were not going to school. He said annually they have student drop outs, and that it called for action by the village leadership.

He added that failure to act would condemn the students to a bleak future.

Research has shown that teenage pregnancy and parenting was the leading factor influencing school drop outs among girls in Botswana.

In effort to combat teenage pregnancies that pose a threat to girl’s education, the government has included sex education within the teaching curriculum as part of the guidance and counselling subject to bring about greater awareness.

Kgosi Setlhodi said last year they followed the affected students to establish why they had abandoned school and to convince them to go back to school.

He appealed to parents to play their role towards their children’s education, adding that some parents had given up their role to provide support and guidance.

Parents were urged to ensure that their children completed their studies.

Kgosi said they should develop a culture of checking their children’s performance, noting that many parents checked the wellness of their children forgetting their studies. BOPA