26 May 2022

Mogoditshane teachers have been commended for their efforts to enhance and improve the quality of education despite challenges they encounter.

Speaking during a meeting with eight school heads of various Mogoditshane schools on Wednesday, Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja hailed them for continuing to excel despite challenges such as shortage of accommodation and resources.

She said she was happy that the school heads were more concerned about the importance of education for school children rather than focusing on their welfare issues only.

 “I commend you for your good judgement in addressing different situations faced by pupils and I applaud you for not allowing the inadequacy of resources to interfere with your work,” she said.

Ms Makwinja said the acute shortage of teachers’ accommodation and classrooms was a challenge throughout the country, and that her ministry was working to improve the situation.

She expressed concern that some schools experienced financial shortages while the ministry was returning about 70 per cent of the development budget allocated to them. She added “no child should be educated under a tree due to lack of classrooms.”

Ms Makwinja promised to address the school heads concerns, saying they would continue to come up with remedies to promote a conducive learning and living environment.

For his part, Mogoditshane Member of Parliament, Mr Tumiso Rakgare said classrooms and teacher accommodation shortages would be addressed.

He highlighted that he had met with Botswana Housing Corporation regarding teachers accommodation and that construction of houses would commence in the next financial year. He noted that shortage of teachers’ houses had been the main complaint in the region for a long time, adding that classroom shortages was a recent phenomenon which was necessitated by the need for social distancing due to COVID-19. 

He also noted that classes were divided and more teachers employed yet accommodation was not increased.

Ms Shirley Dipholo of Mogoditshane Junior Secondary School said due to their proximity to Gaborone they experienced an influx of pupils and were therefore forced to admit a large number every year.

She said it meant the need for extra classes to cater for the pupils, adding that they had resorted to using shades or trees for lessons. 

“Even in the middle of a bitterly cold winter season, most of the classes are conducted under trees,” she said.

Ms Dipholo also requested that decongestion be given priority, saying teachers were not keeping up with the large number of pupils per class. 

She added that there was no way in which they could deliver as expected if they had to deal with such numbers on a daily basis. Mr James Sefhako of Solomon Dihutso Primary School said teachers either shared or rented houses in the village.

He requested for institutional houses so that they could enjoy subsidised housing like their colleagues in other professions.

“We have 44 teachers against 11 houses. Twenty-five classes against 10 classes and we are a specialised school with children with disabilities,” he said. Mogoditshane Primary School head, Mr Samuel Sekuke said they had been conducting lessons outdoors for years. He said they had no school hall and that renovations were never carried out. 

He also said their environment was not conducive to learning as they were surrounded by people selling clothes and others plaiting hair. 

Ledumadumane Junior Secondary School principal, Mr Raphael Setlhare said the school did not have a kitchen.

He also raised concern about expired chemicals in the laboratory, saying they had long requested for them to be properly disposed.

He also said equipment needed service and that the home economics sewing machines were not working. He also complained  of dilapidated design and technology machines.

Mr Setlhare further complained that the school continued to use pit latrines.

The school heads also requested the ministry to develop a strategic and sustainable approach to maintaining schools. Mogoditshane has one senior secondary school, two junior secondary schools and five primary schools. ends