12 Jul 2022

There is no shortage of classrooms and toilets at Segomotso Primary School in Selebi Phikwe, says Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Setlhabelo Modukanele.

Mr Modukanele said the school had reached its maximum capacity of 22 classrooms and that it had 724 learners comprising of 333 boys and 391 girls making 25 classes in total.

“In terms of the Revised National Policy on Education, Segomotso Primary School does not have a shortage of classrooms since it has reached the maximum number of classrooms, that is 22. The policy further states that the classrooms should carry a maximum of 40 pupils, but due to COVID-19, class size was reduced to 30 pupils,” said Mr Modukanele.

He further noted that the school had a total of 48 learners’ toilets; 22 for girls and 26 for boys, with four toilets modified for reception classes. 

He said reception classes were introduced at a time when the school had already reached its capacity of 22 classrooms.

The assistant minister also said due to budgetary constraints construction of reception classes at the school could not be undertaken and that porta-cabins could not be considered as an option. 

“While I appreciate that porta-cabins can be an option for alternative classroom accommodation, it has not been realised due to budgetary constraints,“ he said.

The Member of Parliament for Selebi-Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had asked the minister if he was aware of shortage of classrooms and toilets at Segomotso Primary School. He had also asked the minister to confirm the number of classes and classrooms and to state and explain the extent of the shortage. 

Mr Keorapetse had further asked the minister to state why there were no reception classes built in the school, and what the ministry was doing to address the shortage by availing porter-cabins temporarily. Ends