19 Jun 2020

Government is committed to providing proper housing and infrastructure for both government employees and students.

This was said by the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development, Mr Mmusi Kgafela in an interview after touring Shoshong Senior Secondary School yesterday.

Mr Kgafela raised a concern over the dilapidated Shoshong school buildings, saying in most instances government infrastructure, especially schools were dilapidated due to lack of regular and timely maintenance.

“By the time we try to attend to these infrastructures, we then find that the costs are too high and then it irks our people when we tell them that it costs so much to maintain,” he added.

Government, Minister Kgafela said, was committed to addressing dilapidation of schools ‘because if we commit to provide housing and infrastructure for our own officers who work for government, we cannot ignore students.’

“It would be remiss if we ignore student facilities, because we want the best out of them and we also want the best out of those employed in schools to generate the best resourceful people for us out of education,” he added.

He said there was need to have systems in place, as a reminder, for regular maintenance of government infrastructure.

“Work related things must get into a software and must be automated, so that you don’t have to rely on your memory to remember them,” the minister said.

Minister Kgafela appealed to Shoshong school head, Mr Peter Moalosi to ensure that the school infrastructure was regularly maintained, to be conducive for teaching and learning.

Accompanying the minister was the basic education permanent secretary, Ms Bridget John, infrastructure and housing development acting permanent secretary, Mr Bareng Malatsi, Basic Education deputy permanent secretary, Mr Simon Coles and other officials. Ends