09 Aug 2022

The Japanese government on Friday handed over a two-classroom block it financed to the tune of about P760 000 to the McCathy’s Rust community.

Speaking during the  handing over ceremony at McCathy’s Rust Primary School, Ambassador Takashi Hoshiyama said the donation was the result of collaboration between his government and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

The ministry approached the Japanese government  in 2016 requesting assistance, he said adding that looking at the high value of constructing a classroom block, which would benefit advancement of education in the country, Japan acceded to the request.

 Mr Hoshiyama said the project was financed through the country’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects which targeted small sized projects for assisting socially disadvantaged people.

The programme, he explained, promoted human security which included access to health care, education and  democracy. 

“Today’s project embodies the idea of human security. Children have a right to receive appropriate education in every corner of the world,” he said.  

Mr Hoshiyama said Botswana and Japan continued to enjoy strong bilateral relations which  had resulted in the country rendering assistance in different projects such as the Kazungula Bridge which promoted inter-connectivity and regional integration.

For his part, Tsabong Sub-district Council senior assistant council secretary, Mr Jimmy Mackenzie said the project commenced in 2017 but was delayed by challenges.

 He said the building collapsed at window level in November 2018 due to a weak foundation necessitating a change of site.

“When the classroom collapsed we had already expended some money and we had to abandon the site. Council had to source additional funds to top up as we had already used some of the money donated to us. We had to source about P258 169 from headquarters to complete the project,” he said.

The project was successfully completed in 2019, he said.

Ministry of Education and Skills Development’s Ms Maipelo Kesenye said the classrooms would go a long way in improving education results in Tsabong sub-region.It would provide a conducive learning environment for  pupils and teachers and therefore  improved academic performance, she said. Ms Kesenye said the classrooms would enable a good number of learners to attend school in their locality instead of having to travel as far as Tsabong for their  education.

 “What used to happen was that children were separated from their parents or guardians to access education in Tsabong. Some of the children walked long distances to access their education and that interfered with their learning,” she said.

She said learners would get the much needed parental support as well as protection from  the harsh weather conditions.

Tsabong sub-district council chairperson, Mr Ronald Baitsewe said the infrastructure development would help learners and the community at large.

“Our government cannot address every need in our country. We are hopeful that you will extend the same gesture to other parts of the country,” he said.

He requested the Japanese government to assist with the best way of utilising the collapsed structure. Appealing for more assistance, McCathy’s Rust Kgosi Johnny Engleburg said the village needed developments such as schools, tribal office and a health post. ends