02 Sep 2018

Contractors engaged to maintain infrastructure in schools through the Economic Stimulus Programme have been urged to do their utmost to produce quality work, Basic Education Minister Bagalatia Arone has said.

Speaking during a ceremony marking the commencement of Makhubu Junior Secondary School P9 million maintenance project, Mr Arone said contractors must work according to project specifications, budget and time.

He raised concern that some contractors, especially those owned by Batswana, did not produce quality work while others neglected or abandoned projects as soon as they got mobilisation fees.

Such companies, would be dealt with and even blacklisted, he warned.

“Such incidents hinder government’s efforts of empowering local companies to play a role in the economy and creating jobs for Batswana,” he said adding the companies gave local constructors a bad name.

He said the school project, which entailed maintenance of facilities such as staff houses, classrooms and laboratories including electrical works, had been awarded to citizen-owned Kgotla Civil Works and his ministry was confident that it would produce quality work.

The project, expected to be complete in six months, had created around 50 jobs for locals, which he said was in line with governments’ job creation initiatives.

“As the Ministry of Basic Education we shall endeavour to find avenues to assist government to generate micro-employment for Batswana,” he said.

Minister Arone revealed that the ministry had embarked on intensive general maintenance of 207 junior secondary schools across the country in an effort to provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning.

However, he said the budget allocation for cyclical maintenance for this financial year enabled his ministry to refurbish only 20 schools and that Makhubu Junior Secondary School was fortunate to be included.

He called on institutions to take care of school infrastructure adding that his ministry was in the process of devising a model to be used in monitoring facilities.

The ministry’s Director of Department of Technical Services, Mr David Malejane warned the contractor that the contract could be terminated or penalties imposed if any irregularities were experienced.

He called on all stakeholders to play their part in the project to see it through.

He challenged students, teachers and the school staff in general to take care of the infrastructure noting that the school would qualify for maintenance in another five years.

Mr Kgotla Itumeleng of Kgotla Civil Works, said government should expedite payment of local companies engaged in maintenance and construction projects saying in most cases, citizen contractors experienced challenges and setbacks due to late payments.

Such delay on the government’s part hindered progress and was drawback on empowerment of local companies and employees, he said. ENDS