25 Jun 2018

Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Tshekedi Khama has implored students to refrain from alcohol and drug abuse. 

Addressing Malatswai Primary School pupils who sat for their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) last year at a victory celebration recently, Mr Khama said alcohol and drugs destroyed their lives. 

“You should avoid alcohol and drug abuse as it has devastating effects in your lives,” he said.

The students, who are now doing Form One, earned the school a remarkable 45 per cent AB pass and 82.3 per cent ABC pass as compared to the 11.1 per cent AB pass and 28.6 per cent in 2016.

Mr Khama also advised them to focus on their studies and maintain the morals they learnt from their primary school. 

He further encouraged them to listen to advice from both their teachers and parents in order to do well in all their life undertakings.

Again, he implored students to take their education seriously, saying it was through education that they would contribute towards the development of the country as well as compete for opportunities that were available in the country.

Mr Khama noted that government was committed to ensuring that all children had access to education. 

However, he indicated that parents should also play a role in their children’s education. “As parents, you are the key partners towards attainment of good results. You should work towards encouraging your children to work hard and focus more in their studies,” he said. 

Mr Khama further commended Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) for adopting the school, adding such noble gesture reflected not only the spirit of humanity, but also compassion and desire to help those in need.

For his part, HRDC chief executive officer, Dr Raphael Dingalo also challenged parents to advise their children about the negative effects of alcohol and drugs use. 

On the theme, ‘breaking education barriers’, Dr Dingalo said they had continued to break education barriers through assisting other schools with the aim of assisting Botswana in general, among them East Hanahai, where they donated computers, provided stationery and other learning materials. 

He indicated that such was done with the belief that education played a critical role in the uplifting of people. 

He said HRDC took pleasure in assisting Malatswai and further thanked the Ministry of Basic Education for the Adopt-A-School initiative, which is aimed at fostering partnership and quality in the learners’ education. 

“Adopt-A-School initiative is in line with vision 2036, as a country we believe in democracy, developments, self-reliance and unity. 

We need to work together in order to be self-reliant. Therefore we are calling on parents to also make input in developing this school, and not to rely on teachers.

Government alone cannot manage, we need to help the school with the spirit of self-reliance,” he said. 

Further, he said there was more that HRDC intended to do towards the development, adding they were committed and would continue to assist mainly towards improving the school.

On the overview and update of the school, the school head, Ms Johanna Kgopo indicated that communication, dedication and cooperation were some of the strategies that brought them results. 

She noted that supervision was also an effective monitoring tool, adding they also formed study groups among learners so that those who performed better can assist those lagging behind. 

Ms Kgopo also indicated that currently they had an enrolment of 780 pupils, with a student-teacher ratio of 40:45. She decried of shortage of classes as a result of an increase of pupils this year. 

Meanwhile, the school organised the victory celebration in partnership with HRDC. ENDS