18 Jun 2020

Letlhakeng Sub-district has used approximately P10.2 million to carry out maintenance work  in schools.

This was revealed by the sub-district’s senior assistant council secretary (SACS) Mr Joseph Segopa in an interview recently.

He said the sub-district was in some instances forced to use the council crew to carry out maintenance as a way of cutting costs.

Mr Segopa said the council had to use funds budgeted for other projects to undertake maintenance of schools noting that some such as Takatokwane and Dutlwe primaries needed major refurbishment.

He further said working under the COVID-19 regulations had not been a walk in the park and expressed appreciated the determination which the workers put to deliver as expected.

Mr Segopa said since the pandemic was not budgeted for, government had to make a plan to ensure that all protocols were adhered to and regulations put in place.

He said all schools in the area were ready to receive pupils when they report to school next week Monday on June 22.

Despite working on a tight schedule, contractors on site had done their best to deliver projects on time, he said.

He said geysers would be installed in school kitchens to provide warm water for practising hand-hygiene.

For schools which had not yet been fitted with geysers,  water would be warmed up with the help of additional kitchen helpers and hired to assist during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Mr Segopa observed that social distancing had created a dire need for extra classes which had necessitated the introduction of a double shift system.

Mr Segopa said school heads were happy with the work done so far as maintenance of some schools was long overdue.

He further said the council had managed to purchase masks for orphaned and needy learners while the rest would be assisted through the Parent Teachers Association.

Food had been delivered to all schools, Safety, Health and Environment officers hired together with COVID-19 Scorpions to help with temperature taking, he said. ENDS