10 Feb 2020

For the country to transit from a resource-driven to a diversified knowledge-based economy, it is urgent to invest in the education and training sector as a catalyst to realise such.

Francistown Institute of Health Sciences (HIS) acting principal Ms Tiny Noke said this when handing over school uniform to Matsiloje Junior Secondary School management on February 7.

The health institution donated 18 boys and 19 girls school uniform worth P12 000.

Ms Tiny Noke noted that the objective of easing access and inclusivity in education was intended to reverse poverty levels and restore the dignity of learners. 

She said as an institution, they recognised the importance of striking a balance between academic achievement, physical, social and mental wellbeing, adding that such a balance would nurture learners with requisite life skills to face the life’s storms without resorting to aids.

Ms Noke said the institute embraced the pillar of self-reliance as they believed that a willing mind paved way for whatever one wished to accomplish, hence, the steps they had taken as HIS community to place the needs of Matsiloje junior secondary first.

She commended the IHS community for their Good Samaritan initiative as an honourable gesture aligned with efforts of ensuring dignity to fellow Batswana and also synchronising these with the expectations of Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 4 of good health and wellbeing as well as that of quality education.

Furthermore, she encouraged learners to be strong, hold their heads high as they traverse the storms they might be facing in future.

For his part, Matsiloje JSS head, Mr Lebogang Setilo said the school’s 2019 results dropped drastically from the 32.50 per cent that they obtained in 2018, a huge challenge to the school management.

He said that though the results had declined, the management in conjunction with Matsiloje community would work extra hard to ensure that by 2020 they reach the target set by the region.

Mr Setilo explained that partnership of both the teaching staff and the community needed to be protected at all times to produce better results.

The school is a nine-stream school, which is supposed to admit 369 pupils, but at the moment it is operating as a 12- stream school with an admission of 499 pupils.

The school head applauded the IHS community for the efforts they had made in trying to improve the academic results. ENDS