20 Feb 2024

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Aubrey Lesaso has expressed concern over the high rate of school indiscipline and vandalism across the country.

Mr Lesaso expressed concern during his contribution to the 2024/2025 budget proposals in Parliament recently.

He said pupil’s indiscipline in many secondary schools posed a serious concern as there was an increase in unruliness acts like vandalism and torching school premises.

Incidents of vandalism, he said, should be condemned at all costs as it was costly for government to refurbish damaged goods.

He noted that the ministry had secured P150 million for the refurbishment of 10 schools this year and that a further 49 schools were also in the pipeline for refurbishment.

“The issue of vandalising property and misuse needs to be attended to as early as possible as more money which could be channeled to developments is now been used on the maintenance of damaged property,” he said.

He noted the importance of optimising the use of resources as government had a limited resources base.

He further urged parents to assist teachers in the upbringing of children, particularly when it came to instilling discipline.

He said some parents had a tendency of favouring their children even at the expense of moulding their future.

Ghanzi South legislator, Mr Motsamai Motsamai pleaded with the Ministry of Education to provide furnisher to schools in his constituency, particularly Marakanelo Junior Secondary School, saying it was inadequately furnished.      

Mr Motsamai also pleaded with government to provide a conducive environment for economic growth, saying it required adequate infrastructure and better connectivity to farms to enhance productivity and  efficiency.

“Infrastructure plays a key role in facilitating trade as the road density network, air transport, railways and logistics will result in increased trade flows that will result in positive economic growth,” he said.

The Ghanzi South MP also criticised government for failing to cater to his constituents health needs.

He said his constituency was in dire need of a fully fleshed hospital.

“It is my constituents’ plea to be constructed a hospital, preferably in Charleshill as the village has already been declared sub district headquarters and strategically located,” he said.

He said patients were currently referred to Ghanzi Primary Hospital which served both Ghanzi North and South constituencies, hence it was always crowded since it was also understaffed.

Mr Motsamai also urged government to invest in roads linking Ghanzi South  and  Kgalagadi North, adding that the Ncojane-Ukhwi road should be tarred to cut the distance between the two constituencies through Kang.  ENDS