25 Oct 2020

Books for Africa has donated 7 000 books and 100 solar study lights to Francistown East constituency.

The books, mainly novels, would be distributed among primary schools in the constituency.

Speaking during a donation ceremony at Satellite Primary School on October 22, area MP, Mr Buti Billy highlighted the need for partnerships between government and stakeholders for excellent performance in the education sector.

MP Billy said education was an investment because it groomed children to be well informed leaders for tomorrow.

Mr Billy, who is also the Assistant Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture Development, said a plan to enhance lives of constituents and promote good performance in the schools was underway for the constituency.

“If a donor recognises your school, it does not mean that now you have to relax, but it prompts you to work even harder and prove that you deserved the donation and sponsorship,” he said.

He also urged Parents and Teachers Association to meet the donor halfway.

Mr Billy noted that the donation came at the right time to help government achieve its goal of transforming the country from a resource based to a knowledge-based economy.

He said the transformation required citizens to be accountable for resources they received to enhance learning.

The legislator said the books would resuscitate and promote the spirit of reading amongst learners.

The MP said solar study lights would help protect some learners from the risk of abuse when studying in the streets.

For his part, director of Books for Africa, Mr Ezekiel Malenya, said the books were not curriculum based, but novels to assist in promoting a culture of reading.

He said he hoped the books would enhance Satellite Primary School’s already good academic performance.

Furthermore, he said to enhance learning and teachers’ productivity, his company would  donate 10 computers to be distributed amongst the schools.

Mr Malenya said learners should be taught in a way that when they completed their studies, they would be independent.

Francistown mayor, Mr Godisang Radisego, thanked Books for Africa for the donation, saying they would be beneficial since there had been shortage of books in schools nationwide.

Satellite Primary School head, Ms Lore Lungisani, said the school was privileged to have been assisted to enhance its performance.

She said the school has been performing well with a 79-80 per cent pass rate, adding that they were also thankful for the governments’ help even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ends