01 Jul 2020

Member of Parliament for Maun East, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile has called upon parents and the school management to join efforts and address issues of indiscipline in schools.

The MP made the remarks during his visit to Tsodilo Junior Secondary School, where he was informed of the efforts by the school management to address issues indiscipline. 

Mr Kekgonegile noted that student indiscipline, especially in junior and senior secondary schools, had now become worrisome and needed to be rooted out first at home. 

He, therefore, challenged parents to be involved in their children’s education, adding that teachers needed parents as partners in the pupil’s learning process.

He said stakeholders should brainstorm on workable solutions, noting that Tsodilo school used to have a good history as far as discipline and performance were concerned.

He observed that it was disturbing as, over the years, the school management was forced to engage Special Support Group (SSG) when dealing with pupils.

Mr Kekgonegile agreed that initiatives such as the cycle of support, which brought together different cadres, instilled indiscipline and moulded children into responsible citizens. 

He advised both the school management and parents to capitalise on the active Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) which he said was supportive. 

The PTA is reported to have bought two beds and bedding for the school’s sickbay.

Mr Kekgonegile also stressed the need to take into consideration staff welfare, noting that issues of overstaying, stagnant progression and shortage of staff houses was a serious concern and needed to be addressed.

Earlier on, the school head Ms Tiroyaone Moseki appraised the area MP that indiscipline in school had been a headache, adding that the Form Three boys were at the helm of the problem.

She said a high numbers of male pupils deserted school while some were involved in unacceptable behaviour such as vandalism of storerooms.

As management, she said, they had decided to divide Form Threes according to gender as they adopted the double shift to comply with COVID-19 regulations.

The initiative, she said, had worked wonders for them as they had experienced 100 per cent attendance from the boy child, adding that they were always punctual.

Before the extreme social distancing period, he said some boys were on suspension and appreciated that they had returned as better pupils. 

The school head also admitted that parental involvement was of paramount importance,  noting that it could help improve pupils’ performance. Ends