01 Sep 2022

 Tonota MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi has condemed stealing of food items in school kitchens and has warned those involved to stop such practice.

He said this when giving a vote of thanks during the handing over of laptops to Shashe River School learners and teachers by the Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe on Tuesday.

 Mr Moatlhodi said there was a growing tendency in schools across the country where food items were found missing, particularly chicken.

Mr Moatlhodi said such acts were not only wrong but were  costly to government because pupils had to be fed in schools. 

He therefore appealed to Shashe River School management to look out for such behaviour amongst some of their employees and also not hesitate to take stern measures against perpetrators.

The Tonota legislator also said there was a serious shortage of teachers’ accommodation at the school and suggested that to alleviate the problem, all the Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) units which were still under construction in Tonota be allocated to Shashe River School teachers once completed.

He also implored parents to play their role in the education of their children and ensure that the laptops provided by government were kept safely.

However, true to the fact, heads are rolling at the school as there is a case in which about 15 full chickens were stolen at the school chicken.

Tonota Police Station Commander, Superintendent Oteng Ngada confirmed in an interview that two kitchen employees of Shashe River School, a cook and a kitchen hand were helping the police with investigations in connection with the missing 15 chickens at the school.

He said the incident occurred in the early hours of August 4 and preliminary police investigations had revealed that the chickens were found hidden in the suspects’ vehicles.

Supt Ngada explained that the two suspects had requested that the case be moved from the customary court to the magistrate’s court.

He also said it was not the first case at the school, saying two messengers at the school were also helping the police with investigation into the disappearance of toners.

Supt Ngada said the suspects were intercepted with five new toners. 

For her part, deputy permanent secretary (ICT) in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Ms Louis Ngope said the laptops had been installed with security features such as tracking system.

She informed the learners that the laptops remained the property of the school and that when they finished school they should hand them over to the school authority for reuse by incoming pupils.

Student representative, Obakeng Motlhasedi thanked government for the laptops, saying they would facilitate their learning.

He was hopeful that since the learners had been given the laptop, they would not disappoint but would perform well in their Botswana General Certificates of Secondary Schools (BGCS).

“We are very indebted and there is no reason why we should not perform at 100 per cent above par,” said Motlhasedi. BOPA