24 Jun 2026

Francistown can now realise its long-held goal of turning Goldmine Junior Secondary School into a senior secondary school following the completion of its expansion.

Speaking during a tour of the expansion project by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae recently, Francistown Deputy Mayor, Mr Uyapo Nyeku said Francistown leadership had long wanted a third senior secondary school and had eyed Goldmine as an option.

He said Mater Spei College and Francistown Senior Secondary School were overwhelmed, and turning Goldmine into another secondary school admitting from Form One to Form Five would ease admission challenges.

Deputy school head, Ms Tsholofelo Mathunya said the expansion project had had a positive impact on the school’s academic performance with its pass rate having risen from 49.4 per cent to 57.4 per cent.

The expansion of Goldmine JSS includes a modern 21st century administration block, a counselling centre, a one-storey classroom block, computer and home economics laboratories, additional ablution facilities for staff and learners, and 14 staff houses located at Gerald Estate.

At Mathangwane’s Chamabona JSS, the school Mr Mothanka Tadubana said the additional double-storey block of classrooms had come in handy, having resolved a long-standing challenge of shortage of classrooms, which had forced the school to adopt a double-shift arrangement.

Mr Tadubana also commended Okavango Africa Consortium, that although their school was a construction site, the contractor ensured that everything ran smoothly without disruption to teaching and learning.

Nonetheless, while appreciating the newly-built hostels and ablution block for learners, the school head appealed to government to consider a further expansion as the school enrolled learners from almost all of the 13 villages in Shashe West, the majority of whom he said needed to be accommodated in the school’s boarding facility.

Okavango Africa Consortium team leader, Mr Moemedi Gabana said the expansion projects had delivered modern facilities that would serve as a source of civic pride for a long time.

Mr Gabana appreciated the catalyst team from the ministry, saying it had been instrumental in the completion of the projects within the stipulated timeframes.

Mr Gabana said despite being a small team, they worked tirelessly by responding swiftly to challenges as and when they arose.

Regarding both projects, Minister Salakae praised the project team for delivering modern and quality infrastructure that reflected positively on the staff and students of the two schools.

He said the projects were government’s way of acknowledging the importance of education as well as that of the need to develop the education sector.

Mr Salakae commended the contractor, Okavango Africa Consortium for delivering the projects on time and within budget. ENDS