26 Jul 2018

Government has set aside P3 million towards maintenance of public schools.

Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism Mr Tshekedi Khama told a kgotla meeting that he addressed at Sebabi kgotla in Serowe, that the move was meant to ensure that public school were both habitable and attractive to learners.

Mr Khama, who is also a Member of Parliament for Serowe West, said failure to take care of school premises may lead to learners disinterest in school, which in turn leads to children bunking school and engaging in juvenile delinquency, thereby presenting communities with challenges of combating their waywardness.

Minister Khama was responding to complaints by Kgosi Kewagamang Domkrag of Sebabi ward, who expressed that Mannathoko Primary School was in a dilapidated state, where classrooms harboured bats and various flies that negatively affected teaching and learning.

The same concerns were reiterated by Ward Development Committee (WDC) chairperson Mr Aaron Gaokgosi in his report, adding that the school fence was down.

He argued that in that state thieves had ease of access into the school premises.

The WDC chairperson also observed that lack of security guards at Mannathoko Primary School worsened matters at the school.

When responding to the same complaints raised about Mannathoko school, Assistant Council Secretary at Serowe Administrative Authority (SAA) Ms Bababi Mogasha conceded that many primary schools in the area were dogged by bats.

She said that since last year the subordinate council authority took a decision to remove ceilings from classrooms as they provided habitat for bats and birds.

Ms Mogasha said the ceilings would be reinstalled at a later date, where no gaps would be allowed so as to deprive birds and bats some habitat.

She said that her sub-council was busy with school maintenance amidst financial challenges.

She therefore revealed that only seven classrooms and seven teachers’ houses with dire maintenance needs would be attended to.

Ms Mogasha conceded that Mannathoko Primary School was frequented by thieves despite the installed security alarms.

She explained security alarms were installed as a financial prudence move against hiring of security guards to man the buildings.

Ms Mogasha explained that where it could be determined that the security company that provided the alarms failed to respond to the alarms, the onus of replacing the stolen goods would lie with such a company.

On issues of shortage of usable toilets at primary schools, Ms Magosha also conceded to the challenge.

Pupils at Mannathoko and Malatswae primary schools were reportedly relieving themselves at the bushes, a move the villagers found to be unsafe. ENDS