01 Dec 2020

The Assistant Minister of Basic Education, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja has stated that under the National Development Plan 11, schools were identified and prioritiSed for maintenance and expansion based on their condition, enrolment needs and budgetary provision.

Responding to a Parliamentary question, Ms Makwinja said the process for identifying schools for maintenance for the next financial year 2020/2021 was not yet concluded and that the needs of Shoshong Constituency Schools would be considered alongside others.

Ms Makwinja further stated that this financial year, her ministry commissioned a number of maintenance projects to improve the learning environment and to ensure compliance with COVID-19 health protocols.

She said her ministry was aware of the bad state of repair at Shoshong Senior Secondary School.

She noted that during the first sitting of the 12^th Parliament, her ministry had provided funds to the school to address the dilapidation affecting pupils residencies and academic area.

She said to date, all six science laboratories and all pupils’ toilets in the academic area have been maintained. She further stated that the boys’ hostel has been painted, their aluminium windows replaced and floodlighting provided.

Regarding the academic area, Ms Makwinja stated that a specialist contractor had been awarded the works to replace the aluminium window, adding that they should be fitted before the end of the financial year.

“With regards to classrooms, staff houses and other areas in need of attention, my ministry does not have adequate funds to undertake the full scope of works required to restore those facilities,” she said.

She also stated that Mahutagane and Kalamare junior secondary schools were all due for maintenance. She said that the ministry was decentralising maintenance of schools to ensure that the maintenance needs of schools were attended to as they arise

Shoshong MP Mr Aubrey Lesaso had wanted to know if the ministry was aware that Shoshong Senior Secondary School was in a bad state of repair and needed urgent attention.

Mr Lesaso inquired about the plans in place to accommodate the works necessary for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the school during the current financial year.

He also wanted to be provided with a list of schools that were identified for maintenance in the Revised National Development Plan 11 for the Shoshong constituency. ENDS