28 Aug 2018

The South East South Sub-district Council is concerned with high dropout rates due to pregnancy and desertion.

The sub-district council chairperson, Mr Adolf Mosalaesi told a sub council meeting that schools in Ramotswa, Taung, Otse, Mogobane and Kgale recorded 34 cases of dropouts from January to June.

By the end of June, 15 leaners dropped out of school due to pregnancy and that included a primary school pupil, four from junior schools and 10 from senior school.

A total of 29 leaners dropped out due to desertion and out of these, two were from primary school, 18 from junior school and nine from senior school.

“There is a serious need for collaborative efforts in providing guidance and counseling services to leaners and intervention programmmes from all stakeholders,” Mr Mosalaesi said.

He stated that despite the challenges encountered, there was an improvement in the academic performance across all levels.

He attributed that to the regional education office’s strengthening mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation of teachers and learning with an aim of ensuring that leaners succeeded.

With regard to the sub district’s business activity, he stated that the council inspected 33 businesses from April to June in Gaborone International Commerce Park, Kgale mall and Ramotswa.

However, he said six businesses failed to comply with statutes governing trade with most operating without licenses.

“We experienced a situation whereby traders move their businesses from one plot to another without the knowledge of commercial affairs office,” Mr Mosalaesi said.

He emphasised the need for such traders to be educated saying such happened mostly at Gaborone International Commerce Park.

He said any change pertaining to the business should be brought to the attention of commercial affairs office so that necessary procedures could be followed and records updated accordingly.

Mr Mosalaesi also said the sub council was facing a challenge of tenants who did not want to vacate market stalls once their lease agreement expired.

He stated that the tenant seemed to believe that once they honoured their rental payments, extension of lease agreement was guaranteed.

“Some have been using the stalls since 2008.  This is unfair because the stalls cannot be used by the same people for such a long period,” he stated.

On agriculture, he said the district was not doing enough to educate its people about farming products. ENDS