23 Jun 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected learners performance in Lobatse’s government schools. 

The town’s mayor, Mr Essop Pandor, told a full council meeting on Tuesday that the schools experienced high numbers of COVID-19 isolation cases of both learners and teachers during term one.

He said the state of affairs also contributed to the town’s poor performance in the end of term one examinations, adding that figures indicated that Lobatse schools obtained average performances below the regional target in standard seven, form three and form five results.

“The primary schools had a total number of 663 standard seven learners, who sat for the term one examinations and obtained 64.75 per cent ABC, thus failing to gain the regional target of 80 per cent ABC average,” Mr Pandor said.

The mayor further said the 707 form three learners managed 24.65 per cent ABC pass, below the 50 per cent ABC regional target, while Lobatse Senior Secondary School, which had 750 learners registered 11.87 per cent of candidates awarded 6C’s or better, also below the regional performance target of 20 per cent 6C’s or better. 

He urged members of the public to improve adherence to COVID-19 protocols since the pandemic was far from over, stating that since it began up to 15 June 2021, Lobatse had recorded 4789 cases and 32 deaths.

“As of 15 June 2021, there are 238 active cases of which 181 patients are on home isolation, while 57 are in institutional quarantine,” he said, adding that a total of 2 806 people were vaccinated for COVID-19 in the town, since April 9, 2021. Ends