17 Feb 2019

Botswana Books Projects Organisation recently donated computers and library supplementary books to Gakuto Primary School in Kweneng District.

Speaking during the donation ceremony, the organisation’s director, Mr Ezekiel Malenya said they were responding to government’s appeal for stakeholders to unite in helping the education sector and addressing societal needs. 

Mr Malenya said the computers were for the setting up of a resource centre to address the technology gap.

“As we are living in the technology era, pupils will be groomed to do online research and self-centered learning at an early age,” he said.

He said they found it appropriate to donate to the school because they recognised the importance of education.  

Mr Malenya also added that education needed collective responsibility, which he said was evidently upheld at Gakuto Primary School.

“To attain good academic standing as a country, education needs commitment from all, pupils need to be disciplined at an individual level, they need to set themselves goals and identify their future careers at an early age and teachers need support from parents and other stakeholders to produce good results as government alone cannot manage,” he said.

Mr Malenya also emphasised the need for implementation of the scout programme in schools to address issues of indiscipline amongst pupils.

He said pupils would be helped to know the importance of nationality and citizenship and be groomed to take responsibility hence reducing vandalism of school property.

The deputy school head, Ms Elizabeth Motlogelwa, said the school had an enrollment of 543 pupils, including two reception classes, adding that the enrollment kept growing due to overflow from greater Gaborone.

Ms Motlogelwa said the school had 50 staff members, including non-teaching staff and that they worked as a team to achieve good results.

“We are grateful for the department of education for the 100 per cent staffing, though we have not attained national target, which is 80 per cent pass rate, but we are working towards meeting the target as our performance has been increasing for the past three years,” she said.

She also commended the village leadership and parents for their support, adding that they had harmonious partnerships with other stakeholders.

Ms Motlogelwa appreciated government’s gesture of addressing the challenge of distance by providing donkey carts, which helped reduce absenteeism.

She appreciated the donation, saying it would make a difference as well as motivate pupils to work harder. Ends