08 May 2022

SAVE Wildlife Conservation Botswana has partnered with 17 Village Development Committees to teach children about wildlife conservation.

The organisation’s country director, Ms Wabotlhe Letubo told BOPA that they had developed a curriculum infused with conservation.

Lessons, she explained were conducted at established 17 playgrounds, targeting mainly children aged between three and five years.

Children play with wildlife toys at the playgrounds because ‘we believe that can stimulate their cognitive and development skills,’ she said.

She highlighted that they also organised training for teachers conducting lessons at playgrounds to drill them on the importance of planning.

Playgrounds initiative, she said was a key factor in children’s development and learning as well as building their confidence.

Ms Letubo appreciated the initiative, saying it had been beneficial to the community as it prepared children for formal school education.

She emphasised planning in order to achieve positive outcomes from the initiative.

Good planning, she said offered massive results as it constituted effective learning and also helped teachers to make lessons easy and exciting.

Meanwhile, a Marea Naledi Ramsden Learning Centre teacher in Khwai, Ms Pheetso Mosaya urged parents to take advantage of the playgrounds initiative, as it provided children with a strong foundation for learning.

Ms Mosaya said the initiative was crucial as it helped children  develop essential life skills, habits and attitudes.

Having more ten years’ experience facilitating at Khwai playground, she observed that the initiative improved children’s self-esteem, enhanced critical thinking and built a strong foundation for learning hence the need for parents to embrace it.

Some children who had graduated from the playgrounds, she noted were doing exceptionally well at Khwai Primary School.

“It might look like just play, but when kids are active and running around a playground, they are building critical developmental skills. This initiative makes school and education fun,” she added.

However, Ms Mosaya said despite the good benefits, some parents were still reluctant to bring their children to the centre’s playground.

She said the centre had only 35 children while many children were idling at  home.

Ms Mosaya was lucky to be among 57 teachers who were selected to attend a three-day Early Childhood Development facilitator training workshop organised by SAVE Wildlife Conservation Botswana.

The training aimed to drill playground teachers on the importance of planning before going into a class as well as to remind them on their role as facilitators.

SAVE Wildlife Conservation is a non-profit making organisation which campaigns specifically for the sustainable conservation of nature and the protection of its species.

Through its Early Childhood Development programme, the organisation has established playgrounds in 17 villages to instil in children a love for nature and understanding the importance of protecting wildlife. ENDS