23 Jul 2026

Makakung Primary School is looking to a newly established Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory to improve learner performance after recording a Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) pass rate of below 50 per cent for the past three consecutive years.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, school head Ms Paranga Kehinana said the school was determined to reverse the trend by embracing digital learning and benchmarking against high-performing schools to strengthen teaching methods and raise academic standards.

She said the ICT laboratory had come at an opportune time as the school sought to improve learner outcomes while equipping pupils with digital skills needed to compete in an increasingly technology-driven world.

“This facility will expose learners to digital literacy, research and independent learning while creating opportunities for both learners and teachers to explore innovative approaches to education,” she said.

Ms Kehinana said the school was committed to making full use of the facility to improve academic performance and restore confidence in its ability to produce quality results.

Minister of Communications and Innovation, Mr David Tshere, said the digital centre reflected government’s commitment to ensuring that no learner, regardless of location, was left behind in Botswana’s digital transformation agenda.

He said government, through the Ministry of Communications and Innovation and the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) Universal Access and Service Fund, continued to expand digital connectivity to schools, particularly in rural and remote areas, to prepare young people for meaningful participation in a knowledge-based economy.

“Digital transformation is ultimately about people. It is about empowering learners to think critically, teachers to teach effectively, entrepreneurs to innovate and communities to participate fully in the modern economy,” he said.

Mr Tshere urged teachers and learners to embrace the new facility and use it to transform the school’s learning culture.

“From today onwards, it cannot be business as usual at Makakung Primary School. 

You need to embrace ICT to change the way you have been doing things. In future, I expect to see Makakung’s digital footprint online,” he said.

BOCRA Board chairperson, Dr Bokamoso Basutli said the authority remained committed to extending digital infrastructure to schools across Botswana to improve access to quality education and equip learners with skills needed in the digital era.

He said expanding access to digital platforms was an investment in Botswana’s future as technology continued to shape education, innovation and economic growth.

Makakung kgosi Tuesee Kahaka, encouraged learners to value the investment by using the ICT laboratory responsibly and striving for academic excellence.

Member of Parliament for Maun West, Mr Carterpillar Hikuama, described the digital centre as a vital community resource that would help bridge geographical barriers and create new opportunities for learners.

“Where physical roads fail us, the digital highway will carry us through,” he said.

Mr Hikuama said the facility would inspire learners to dream bigger, explore new ideas, ask questions and acquire knowledge that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to Botswana’s development.

The P1.45 million digital centre is equipped with 30 desktop computers, two laptops for teachers, a smart board, a network printer and high-speed broadband Internet, providing Makakung Primary School with modern tools to enhance teaching, learning and academic performance. ENDS