09 Dec 2013

Debswana through Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa mines (OLDM) corporate social investment (CSI) programme has given Mokobaxane Primary School P2 million.

OLDM general manager, Dr Adrian Gale said the funding was in line with supporting and responding to the government’s adopt-a-school programme.

He described funding of the school projects as the biggest single investment programme in 2013. The school got a lions share of the funds allocated for community projects in 2013 by OLDM CSI programme amounting to over P3.6 million. Dr Gale said the sponsorship attests to the company’s commitment to education and the future of Botswana children.

“Our aim is to continue investing more on projects that will ensure the creation of an impeccable legacy for the children,” he said.

Dr Gale said the adopt-a-school programme facilitated by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development aims at expediting long term private sector participation in the delivery of quality education and training. He said the funds would go towards a variety of projects which include the building of a classroom block, staff housing and construction of a new and revamped library.

Dr Gale said diamonds have and continue to change the nation in a positive way leaving behind a legacy to be proud of. Mokobaxane Primary School head, Ms Francinah Masole described the move by Debswana (OLDM) to adopt the school as a glimmer of hope for the pupils. Mrs Masole said since the school was located in a less developed settlement where the majority of residents are sustainable farmers, parents pay little attention to their children’s education.

Ms Masole said for the past three years the school’s overall performance has been below 50 per cent, and stated that last year the school trailed behind in the region with an overall pass rate of 48.3 per cent. She said teachers and the PTA committee members have realised that problems leading to poor performance do not only emanate from within the school, but that there were also external influences.

“To some the school is the only place where they get a decent meal, others stay alone as parents spend most of the time at the lands or cattle post while there are cases where parents are just negligent as they care little about their children’s education.”

Ms Masole highlighted other challenges such as illiteracy, unemployment, lack of employment opportunities that indirectly affect the performance of children.

She said in an effort to turn around the school’s fortunes and pave the way for a better future, the school kick started the activities with organising a prize giving ceremony which was last held in 2006. Ms Masole said peer educators from Orapa Mine donated P500 as a way of helping the school raise funds for the event while the school managed P260 after holding a beauty contest.

Ms Masole said as a way of encouraging companies to contribute towards the event, the school identified and engaged a key figure from the community to help in fund raising activities. She said with the assistance of Ms Kesego Mosweunyane, a resident of Mokobaxane working at Macmillan, Komatsu donated P5 000, ACHAP contributed P6 700 while Barclays donated presents and also liaised with ABSA to contribute P2 500.

She said with as little as P12 800, the school manage to stage an event where promising students were rewarded for their efforts, adding that the event appeared to have been a turning point as it was followed by an application to Debswana (OLDM) to adopt the school. With a population of 535 students and 19 teachers, Ms Masole said the school has 14 classrooms and that five of the 19 classes are taught outside. She added that with 11 staff houses, eight teachers were without accommodation.

She said having identified that the school has a sizeable number of pupils with learning difficulties, it would be worthwhile to have a structure for special education that would cater for their needs. Ms Masole said the school was also in dire need of six additional classrooms and 10 teachers’ houses. Despite the challenges, Ms Masole said the school had set a target of 50 per cent  pass rate in the 2013 PSLE results and remains optimistic that with Debswana in the picture, come 2014 and beyond the school’s fortunes would change for the better. ENDS