15 Apr 2021

The renovations of the Maun Senior Secondary School kitchen structure are at tender stage and are expected to commence as soon as the process is completed.

This was revealed by Assistant Minister of Basic Education, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja in response to a question from the Member of Parliament for Maun East, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile.

The assistant minister said additional funds had been approved for the replacement of kitchen equipment.

Ms Makwinja further said the floor tiling of Motsamai Hall was currently on-going whilst the painting of the ceiling, windows and doors had been completed.

The renovation of the boys’ hostel, he explained, had not yet started due to insufficient funds, while Maun Senior Secondary would be provided with funding for maintenance of the school in the 2021/22 financial year which would include the boys’ hostel.

“My Ministry has recently placed an experienced school head in the school as part of strengthening leadership for high performance,” she said.

The House was also informed that the school had embarked on a number of strategies to improve academic performance which included the introduction of pathways and profiling of learners  to match them to appropriate subject combinations.

Ms Makwinja also noted that maintenance of the school was receiving attention, while the in-service of staff on Outcome Based Education would continue.

On academic results, she said when compared to the 2019 BGCSE results, where 18 per cent of learners obtained five credits or better, the results improved in 2020, as they moved upward by seven per cent with 25 per cent of learners getting five credits or better ‘which is a good sign that the school academic results will continue to improve.’

Ms Makwinja stated that the implementation of Multiple Pathways at Maun Senior Secondary School was on course with 120 learners having been admitted for the Hospitality and Tourism subject (Vocational Pathway) at Form 4.

“Teachers offering the programme have been trained on outcome based education curriculum and assessment. Teaching and learning started in March 2021,” she said.

The assistant minister also clarified that the construction of a physical training structure for the hospitality and tourism subject was on-going and was expected to be handed over by Mid-2021.

Meanwhile, the learners are using the existing home economics laboratories for the first introductory modules which do not require the use of the facility.

Ms Makwinja however said according to the General Education Curriculum and Assessment Framework (GECAF), Physical Education and Sport would be offered within the Vocational Pathway.

An audit to assess the readiness of schools to offer more subjects, she explained ,was ongoing and that would advise on the curriculum appropriate for Maun Senior Secondary School, including on sports.

The Maun East legislator, Mr Kekgonegile had asked the minister if she was aware of the deteriorating status of Maun Senior Secondary School in terms of buildings, staff welfare and examination results.

He also sought for clarification on the progress made in renovating the school kitchen, Motsamai Mpho Multipurpose Hall and the boys’ hostels. The MP further asked the minister to state the strategy put in place to return the school to its past years of being Maun’s pride and good academic results; the progress made in the implementation of multiple pathways at the school. ENDS