21 Jul 2020

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has commended Makaleng Primary School in North East District for its cleanliness and compliance to COVID-19 protocols.

Speaking during a visit to the school recently, Mr Sethabelo Modukanele said the general cleanliness of the school was impressive.

He said maintaining toilet cleanliness was a challenge to several schools, but Makaleng overcame the challenge. 

Mr Modukanele also indicated that ever since the COVID-19 outbreak, government had been tackling queries on some projects, but North East District was clear of such complaints.

He attributed good project implementation to good leadership in the district.

He also encouraged Batswana to adapt to the new normal and comply with regulations of social distancing and wearing of masks in public.

Mr Modukanele indicated that learners had taken health protocols with diligence because they wore masks better than some elders who chose not to wear them in public.

The school head, Ms Mmamasire Masole, attributed the state of their school to the partnership between staff, parents and leaders.

She said when new protocols were introduced, they called a meeting where parents pledged their commitment to ensure the school complied.

She added that the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) donated two jojo tanks, while a Makaleng youth donated the other one and the village councillor donated two electric water warming elements.

Furthermore, she said there were no major construction projects carried out except for two hand washing basins constructed by North East District Council (NEDC).

Ms Masole stated that their school had always been one of the cleanest schools and that made things easier for them to adapt to the new normal.

She indicated that the school had an enrollment of 307 learners including pre-school learners and therefore did not have double shift because each class had an average of 25 pupils.

On one hand, Ms Masole said they needed a scorpion officer to assist a SHE officer because the latter was overwhelmed with registering and screening in the morning.

NEDC chairperson, Ms Florah Mpetsane, said they had taken the new COVID-19 protocols seriously.

Ms Mpetsane said Makaleng Primary School was an indication that schools in the district complied with the protocols.

She stated that even the Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane, had expressed satisfaction at the level of compliance during his visit to some schools in the district recently. 

Again, she indicated that the district also performed exceptionally well academically after scooping position two last year in Primary Leaving School Examinations (PSLE) behind the South East District. Ends