11 Feb 2018

Japanese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Kozo Takeda says in the past five years, Botswana government had made significant progress in the early childhood education programme, which resulted in the establishment of 471 public pre-schools.

Speaking at the grant signing ceremony between the Embassy of Japan and Serowe Administrative Authority (SAA), Mr Takeda said the government’s hard work would provide equal opportunities for children throughout the country.

He said that the government of Japan would grant SAA US$82 720 for the construction of Malatswai Pre-School in the Central District, which would enable approximately 40 children in the village to receive early childhood education on an annual basis.

He said the Japanese government grant scheme dubbed ‘Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects,’ had assisted more than 50 organisations in Botswana in the past 20 years.

“I am very pleased to sign my first grant contract since taking office early November last year as Japanese Ambassador to this beautiful country,” he said, adding that the assistance would contribute to this ‘significant’ initiative implemented by the government of Botswana. Early childhood education programme started in the Kgalagadi region in 2013 and was rolled out to other regions the following year.

Ambassador Takeda said through their grant scheme they had been trying to reach the pressing needs at ‘Grass-roots’ level throughout the country adding that the pre-school project in Malatswai would follow other similar projects under the same scheme in remote areas in Chobe, Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts.

He observed that Japan would continue to extend her assistance to more remote areas in the country because it was significant for them to assist such grass-roots requirements in Botswana based on the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Takeda said raising well-rounded children could only be achieved and maintained when all concerned parties worked together.

“In order for maximum benefits to be gained from this assistance from the people of Japan, we do need support from ministries, councils, parents, teachers and all other stakeholders from the community,” he said.

He said that the pre-school would not only stand as the benchmark of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, but also as a place to raise future leaders of Malatswai, Serowe region and Botswana as a whole.

Serowe Administrative Authority, Sub- council chairperson, Mr Mpho Kooreme said the beneficiary of the project was a remote area community which did not have facilities such as this one.

Malatswai Primary School is situated in a remote area and its performance is amongst the lowest in the Sub-district, he added.

He noted that they were confident that upon completion of the facility, it would provide a conducive environment and enable young learners to appreciate the value of education at an early age, thereby raising the standard of education within Malatswai and the surrounding areas.

He said the grant would be used exclusively for the intended purpose and that any variations if any would be communicated with the embassy.

Secretary, Rural Development Council in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Stanley Makosha said  rural areas lacked pre-schools adding that the initiative would go a long way in promoting educational standards in the region. Ends