05 Sep 2022

 The multi-million Pula tourism and hospitality facility at Maun Senior Secondary School symbolises the country’s dream to become a knowledge-based economy, says Permanent Secretary to the President, Ms Emmah Peloetletse.

Speaking after tour of the facility on Wednesday, Ms Peloetletse expressed gratitude that the facility would produce holistic learners equipped with skills needed in the market.

“I am very impressed that we are living our dream as a country and I commend the ministry of education for trying to bridge the gap in terms of what is required in the market. This is exactly what government wanted to do by piloting the multiple pathways approach,” she said.

The facility has enrolled 245 learners of which over 100 are Form 5s and will be graduating this year.

Ms Peloetletse said government was on the right track as far as the pilot project was concerned noting that Maun senior and Moeng College, which focused on agriculture, were identified for this.

The schools, she said would be centres of excellence in particular to the practical subjects they were offering.

The Maun facility, she said, had a complete hospitality ecosystem and urged the school to consider working closely with the private sector to enhance the learning and teaching environment.

She said, going forward, the initiative would be rolled out to other schoolsThe school head, Ms Kagiso Casalis, said the facility was actualising the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ESSTP) that sought to refocus education and training towards the fulfilment of social and economic aspirations identified in the Revised National Policy of Education, the National Development Plan and Vision 2016 as well as the Millennium Development Goals.  

Through the facility, Ms Casalis said, they were trying to match qualifications and labour market needs.

She said the first batch of 112 learners would graduate this year and believed that the knowledge and skills they acquired would help them decide on their choice of careers.Ms Casalis said the multiple pathway initiative had the potential to produce learners who were creative, innovative and ready to contribute to the economic development of the country.

The initiative, she said could also help address the rate of high unemployment in the country.

One of the learners, Ms Selefo Tau said the facility was giving them exposure as they were learning more about the basics of working in the hospitality industry. 

She thanked the ministry of education for embarking on transformational agenda to produce learners who were more knowledgeable and skilled. ends