30 May 2018

The Ministry of Basic Education is working around the clock to formulate strategies to help shrug off its bad image and restore public confidence, says Minister Bagalatia Arone.

Mr Arone, who is the MP for Okavango, vowed during a kgotla meeting in Moshupa on May 29 that notwithstanding the myriad of challenges, he and his management team would turn the ministry’s fortunes around.

“I have pledged the same to President Mokgweetsi Masisi that I will ably discharge my duties in spite of the many challenges within the ministry,” he said.

He said although the ministry had been referred to by some people as an “exit ministry” owing to its perennial challenges and cumbersome nature, he was more than ready to take the bull by the horns and come out tops as the captain of the ship.

To achieve the feat, Mr Arone made a clarion call to parents, as key stakeholders, to cooperate and show commitment towards the education of their children by supporting all activities aimed at turning the education system around.

The minister also spoke strongly against dual management within the education system which he said made it difficult for those responsible to account.

He said he would like to see all education-related operations being done under one roof as opposed to the status quo where they were strewn all over the place and managed by different ministries.

On other issues, the Okavango legislator encouraged all government departments to come up with innovative ways of procuring locally produced goods and services as per government policy.

This, he stated, would go a long way towards boosting the local economy and creating much needed employment at local level.

Mr Arone also spoke against the tendency by scores of government scheme beneficiaries who were often careless about programmes aimed at improving their livelihoods.

Commenting, residents pledged their support and to be part and parcel of the ministry’s transformation exercise.

They expressed concern that school results had dropped significantly over the years with no sign of improvement.

Residents were also not happy with the proliferation of drugs that in Moshupa schools including at primary level.

They said they were disheartened by the fact that drug peddlers were known people who would not give the same to their children because they are aware of the agonising results of such substances.

Responding, Minister Arone said the fight against drugs called for concerted efforts noting that if left unchecked, drugs would have far reaching implications as they “kill both the nation and the country”. ENDS