16 Dec 2025

Assistant Minister of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Mr Justin Hunyepa has commended Tafa Foundation for its initiative of taking children to scout camps for character building.
Speaking at a Character Building Workshop organised by the foundation in Francistown on Monday, Mr Hunyepa said the scout camps were an investment in the future as they instilled discipline and positive values in children.
“Society needs children who are disciplined, responsible and respectful, who can contribute positively to the nation. What you are doing is very much appreciated,” he said.
Mr Hunyepa noted that through its leadership in promoting and sustaining the scout movement in Botswana, Tafa Foundation demonstrated a patriotic commitment to the holistic development of children.
In reference to the theme: Nurturing the Whole Child: Body, Mind and Attitude, Mr Hunyepa said it reflected the kind of Botswana the nation aspired to build, one that nurtured children’s attitudes, mindsets and behaviour.
He emphasised that the scout movement played a critical role in shaping children into disciplined, responsible, caring and patriotic citizens, teaching values such as teamwork, respect and leadership that could not be learned in the classrooms alone.
However, he stressed that discipline and child upbringing began at home. “If we get it right at home, we will get it right at school. Teachers, as loco parents, are not replacing parents; they are completing what parents start at home,” he said, adding that schools should be centres of learning rather than punishment.
Mr Hunyepa urged parents to raise children well at home and encouraged young participants to reject indiscipline.
“If you follow what you are taught here, you will become successful leaders of tomorrow,” he said.
Meanwhile, the founder of Tafa Foundation, Mr Godknows Tafa, said the non-profit organisation was mandated to nurture children through character-building camps and academic excellence programmes.
He said the foundation believed discipline was the cornerstone of success, noting that socialisation and meaningful connections were impossible without discipline. About 40 children are part of the scout camp, scheduled to run from December 15 to 22. ENDS