09 Jun 2021

Maun West Member of Parliament, Mr Dumelang Saleshando has urged the Ministry of Basic Education to address challenges faced by education sector.

Mr Saleshando, who was accompanying Basic Education minister, Mr Fidelis Molao on a tour of ongoing projects at Moeti Junior Secondary School in Maun, said the region was faced with many education challenges citing infrastructure, which he said contributed to poor performance. 

He expressed concern that most of the schools were still using pit latrines. He was however hopeful that the ministry would take advantage of the ongoing Maun water supply phase 2, which aimed to provide essential water and waste water services to Maun residents.

Mr Saleshando attributed usage of pit latrines to severe water shortage in Maun and hoped the project would be a panacea to this problem.

Two projects, which are cyclic maintenance and construction of caravans, are ongoing at Moeti Junior Secondary School and the works have been awarded two contractors. The project aim to address high enrollment of pupils. Moeti secondary has moved from 15 stream to 33, a situation that requires more infrastructure. 

The minister learnt that the company engaged to construct caravans was doing well while that of cyclic maintenance was failing to deliver the project on time.

For his part, Mr Molao expressed disappointment to learn that the cyclic maintenance project was a year behind schedule despite efforts by department of Technical Services to give two extensions of contract to the contractor.

He was informed that the project was awarded to a local contractor in November 2019 and the completion date was May last year. The minister also learnt that a lot of work had not yet started as the contractor complained about facing difficulty in procuring material.

Mr Molao was worried that some local contractors across the country were failing to meet contractual obligations but stated that corrective measures would be taken accordingly. 

He said such contactors frustrated government’s efforts to improve facilities and make them habitable. 

The minister said expectation was to see  citizen contractors working hard and delivering quality projects so that they could be given more projects.

With regard to the caravan project, the minister was informed that it was on track and nearing completion. The supplier, Mr Shadrack Masego explained that other facilities were completed and waiting locks and connection of electricity while some were at the roofing stage.

Moeti School head, Mr Albert Mathabathi also criticised poor performance of the contractor engaged for maintenance noting that a lot of work was behind schedule citing the academic area and teachers houses.

Some teachers, he said were terrorised by bats because ceilings were old and dilapidated. The school head further mentioned the challenge of drainage system in the school noting that the current one was small and deposed every week. An official from Technical Services, Mr Modise Ekenyane revealed that the expansion project scheduled for 2021/22 financial year would address all challenges in the school. The project comprises of expansion of administration block, multi-purpose block, computer and business laboratories, ablutions, external works, and electrical installations among others. ends