15 Dec 2020

The Minister of Basic Education, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja has told Parliament that her ministry and that of local government and rural development have different responsibilities in regard to provision of pre and primary education.  

She said the ministry of local government was responsible for the provision of infrastructure which included construction of primary schools, their electrification and connectivity while that of basic education was responsible for provision of teaching and learning resources. 

Ms Makwinja noted that 33 primary schools in Mahalapye Sub-district and 10 primary schools in Mahalapye West Constituency had benefitted from internet connectivity through donations not through the ministry.

The assistant minister said she was aware that some schools which benefitted from donations of computers or tablets had not been able to utilise them fully because of internet connectivity and capacity constraints.

She, therefore, said it was necessary that all primary schools were connected to high speed internet to facilitate ICT integration in teaching and learning.

She also added that her ministry had engaged that of local government, BOCRA and BOFINET to fast-track connectivity to all schools including primary.

In addition to school connectivity, she said the intention was to provide computer devices to upper primary level learners as well as to build teacher capacity to enable them to integrate ICT in teaching and learning.

She said this would enable younger learners from pre-school to standard 4 to have access to mobile labs that would be provided in all primary schools. Ms Makwinja explained that the plan was scheduled to be completed by end of 2023, funds permitting.

Ms Makwinja was answering a question from Member of Parliament for Mahalapye West, Mr David Tshere who wanted to know the number of primary schools that had been connected to internet in the Mahalapye Sub-district Council and Mahalapye West Constituency.

He also wanted to know  whether the ministry considered it necessary to have primary schools connected to the internet.

Mr Tshere had also brought to the attention of the Minister that most of the schools which benefitted from donations of computers or tablets have not been able to utilise them because of lack of internet connectivity. ENDS