18 Jul 2018

The Ministry of Basic Education is committed to ensuring that all Batswana accessed education to improve their standard and quality of life.

In an interview on July 13, Southern region’s education director Mr Agrinews Maseko said Satellite schools were part of the ministry’s commitment in ensuring that all Batswana accessed education.

He said satellite schools  which started in the North West district  came as a result of a need to enable the populace living in remotest areas  to access education.

He said many pupils dropped out of school  because schools were far from where they resided as they were facing a lot of challenges such as travelling long distances under unfavourable weather conditions.

He noted that when the former president Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama visited the area there was a lot of outcry that the children  were excluded from the education system hence the  Basic Education ministry had to come up with a strategy to rescue the situation.

Mr Maseko said after  the ministry conducted environmental  assessment in North West District ,  the findings revealed that there was  need to establish satellite school  at Kajaja village which was now a fully-fledged primary school.

He said the second satellite primary school was Eretsha, then Mokgatsha followed by Shaekarawe all in the Okavango area which were done through consultation with the Okavango Sub-district council.

“Satellite schools are not just limited to the partnership of the council, villagers and Ministry of Basic Education, but also business entities can lend a helping hand,” he said.

Nonetheless, he said, satellite school was an extension of a fully-fledged one and Mr  Maseko is of the view that running the former was cheaper as it was supervised by an officer  at D4 band as compared to the main school which was headed by someone at  D2 band level.  ENDS