06 Dec 2017

Serowe Education Sub-region principal education officer, Mr Ookeditse Johannes has commended staff of the Central Transport Organisation (CTO), central region for contributing towards effective learning of children with intellectual disabilities.

Mr Johannes said this at the social responsibility project hand over ceremony, where CTO, central region staff, handed over a water tap and toiletries to Motetshwane Primary School.

“In assisting with this, you have contributed positively towards our mission in education of inclusive education for learners with disabilities,” he said.

He said through that, segregatory practices were eliminated and pupils benefited from the socialisation and educational processes and therefore would benefit from the support availed for their learning. He said education ministry was striving to ensure that all children had access to education since it was their right.

“This gesture will go a long way in assisting our pupils and ensuring ease of learning towards motivating them. It is a permanent goodwill which will benefit even our future learners,” he said.

Mr Johannes highlighted that pupils mostly learnt through pre-vocational training and performed excellently in hand work such as horticulture and hand crafts, rather than traditional learning. Thus he said the installation of a water tap would surely make their studies easier.

Mr Johannes advised CTO staff to visit them regularly and monitor the improvement in performance of pupils. He noted that some felt pupils with intellectual disabilities were not capable of learning, but assured that with the assistance they received there was going to be an improvement in pupils’ academic performance.

He noted that government had made progress in integrating learners with intellectual disabilities in school and that so far there were three schools in the sub region and they included Mabeleapudi and Makolojwane primary schools.

The CTO performance improvement coordinator based in Gaborone, Mr Taolo Selabeka thanked the school management for according them the chance to assist in the school.

“We need each other in order to achieve our mandate. It is only through inter-dependence that we can achieve that because government alone cannot manage,” he noted.

He noted that the gesture was an effort by 16 depots in the Central District being part of their Social responsibility and answering government’s call of giving back to the community.

“Through this initiative, our central region staff contributed from their hard-earned cash to assist the pupils of Motetshwane primary, make a difference in their lives and put a smile on their faces,” he said. ENDS