19 Feb 2019

Limited funding for both recurrent and development budgets remains a challenge for Tonota Sub-district Council, says Col Anderson Moalosi. 

Col Moalosi, who is the sub-council chairperson, expressed concern during his speech to mark commencement of the council meeting on Monday.

He stated that the 2019/2020 revenue support grant ceiling had been reduced by one per cent from P72 248 130 to P71 823 060; an amount that fell short to cover the needs of the sub-council.

“Despite this reduction, the council has to budget for councillors’ terminal benefits as well as new staff employed under social and community development. As such, we must make concerted efforts to deliver our mandate effectively and efficiently within the expectation of the people we serve,” said Col Moalosi, who is also Shashe Mooke councillor .

He pointed out that the sub-council had managed to budget for schools as per the education policy as well as relief for destitute persons.

The sub-council chairperson also updated the meeting on the ongoing midterm review exercise, which entailed assessment of milestones achieved under District Development Plan 8 (DDP 8) among them; approved projects and programmes in the first half of the plan and creating strategies and re-prioritisation of projects for the remaining period of the plan.

On education, Col Moalosi was happy about improvement recorded in the 2018 Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE).

“Our region got 79 per cent ABC compared to 77 per cent in 2017 and 72 per cent in 2016,” he said highlighting that Madisakwana Primary School did not only emerge number one in all the schools in the sub region for the second time, but was ranked among the top 20 best performing schools nationwide.

The council learnt also that a timetable was in place to start visiting schools, especially those below par with a view to come up with ways they could be assisted.

Although there was a slight increase for Junior Certificate Examination (JCE) results in the Merit, Grades A, B, and C (MABC) percentage pass from 32.61 per cent to 34.34 per cent, the chairperson said the schools in the sub region are yet to meet both the regional and national targets of 70 per cent and 65 per cent.

In the 2018 JCE results, Rutwang and Chamabona junior secondary schools scooped positions one and two respectively. Ends