19 Sep 2013

The use of English language as a medium of instruction is not a barrier to learning.

Speaking during the national school heads conference in Palapye on September 18, Ministry of Education and Skills Development deputy permanent secretary, Mr David Ratsatsi said children had the ability to learn different languages at a tender age, therefore starting them with English was not a challenge as they were also examined in the same language.

He said the ministry as such made a breakthrough to English language with the realisation that if pupils were started late, they were likely to experience problems in their studies.

He said the Revised National Policy on Education of 1994 made a recommendation for the use of Setswana as a medium of instruction at standard one, but the use of English at standard two and upper levels. In addition, he said the ministry decided to use house mothers, who are people extracted from society to take care of children during their stay at school.

Furthermore, Mr Ratsatsi said all regions were going to start instituting reception classes, as such the government was going to ensure training of pre-school teachers.

He said the pre-school initiative had been piloted in six schools in the most remote parts of the country, with an intent to establish more. Mr Ratsatsi was responding to concerns by the chairperson of the secondary school heads conference, Mr Lapologang Kolagano, who was of the view that the ministry should enhance programmes intended to improve language.

He said Basarwa students in particular were slow in lower classes as a result of the second language, which tended to be a barrier. He stated that schools in rural areas perform poorly because of lack of pre-schools, which lay a foundation for children, making it easy for learners to cope at standard one. ENDS