06 Aug 2017

Adopt-A-School programme has achieved its intended purpose of rekindling the spirit of patriotism and selfless service to the nation.

Assistant Minister of Basic Education, Mr Moiseraele Goya said at the fundraising dinner organised by PowerSpeed Projects to complete construction of two pre-primary classrooms and one computer laboratory at Botlhapatlou Primary School in Kweneng.

Minister Goya stated that support received by schools at all levels continue to be more than expected.

“More Batswana especially those in business are more than prepared to give rather than to take and the fund raising exercise bear testimony to the growing culture of ploughing back to community,” he said.

Mr Goya noted that education was a public good calling for collective efforts.

He observed that whereas government was duty bound to continue to shoulder the bulk of financial burden of ensuring that all eligible learners access quality and relevant education, there was always enough room and space for private sector participation and involvement.

He indicated that when government seek private sector involvement, it would not be because government was failing or wanted to exonerate its responsibility of developing Botswana.

“No government, how rich it maybe, can afford to run the show single handedly. Today’s challenges require partnership,” he said.

The ministry, he said was pre-occupied with reforms geared towards addressing various challenges facing the education sector.

Minister Goya said such challenges included raising academic achievement levels, improving access to education to accommodate in particular, learners with disability and pre-school learners.

“Full implementation of such reforms will not come cheap, therefore continuing participation of private sector in the journey of reforming education is critical,” Mr Goya said.

The most critical aspect of education reforms he said was development of education at foundation level citing that education at the very basic level was seriously under-funded over years whilst tertiary level enjoyed a larger share.

He explained that with establishment of government funded pre-schools process of improving quality and access at foundation level in order to catch them young has begun, citing that pre-primary school opportunities have been more available in towns than in rural areas.

He expressed hope that improved quality at grassroots level would translate into better quality at succeeding levels.

PowerSpeed Projects, he said would enable government to concentrate on other aspects of school such as accommodation and professional development of staff.

PowerSpeed Projects director, Mr Obakeng Kenathetswe noted that the company has embraced a culture of giving back to the community, noting that the initiative drives change in the community and within an organisation.

He company, he said believed in giving back to the community within which they operate and deliberately chose to adopt the school in order to fulfill corporate social investment.

Mr Kenathetswe said communities in Botswana still lack access to good education, noting statistics revealed that students denied a conducive environment were likely to get poor marks.

He said the business sector was aware that government was making efforts to address challenges in education and their involvement would go a long way in making such aspirations a success.

Botlhapatlou Primary School school head, Ms Florah Molefi commended PowerSpeed Projects for constructing two classrooms for pre-primary classes and a computer laboratory.

The idea of pre-primary classes, she said was established to enable government schools to compete with non-governmental schools on results improvement.

Member of Parliament for Boteti East, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said education was the only tool that could be used to fight poverty.

The construction of the pre-primary classrooms, he said would impact significantly on the lives of the people of many adding that big companies should also be encouraged to contribute immensely towards corporate social investment. ENDS