05 Mar 2014

Some Members of Parliament says lack of cooperation between stakeholders, poor facilities and lack of teacher accommodation are the main reasons for poor performance in schools.

Debating the 2014/15 budget estimates for the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, MP for Nkange, Mr Edwin Batshu said it was important for all stakeholders; parents, teachers, students and community leaders to be involved in education.

The Nkange legislator said lack of cooperation was to blame for the poor results registered this year. For her part, MP for Mahalapye East, Ms Botlhogile Tshireletso said teachers were wrongly accused for poor results whereas the role of parents was not considered.

She said there were factors that could be contributing to poor results saying the role of parents was important as students had to be provided with food and clean uniforms before they went to school and the environment at home should be conducive for studying.

MP Tshireletso further called upon the minister of Education and Skills Development to transfer some teachers saying they had stayed in one place for a long time.

She said another factor was low morale saying some schools in her constituency did not have dining halls and the science laboratories were dilapidated.

MP for Kgatleng East, Mr Gilbert Mangole said for a long time the education ministry was faced with resource constraints yet students excelled in schools.

He complained about lack of resources in some schools in his constituency such as Ithuteng Junior Secondary School in Mochudi which does not have science laboratories yet the students are expected to do the subject and it does not have a kitchen or dining hall.

MP Mangole however expressed gratitude to the Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development Mr Patrick Masimolole who following his visit to the school has said a dining hall would be built.

The legislator further said the visually impaired students are falling behind because they do not have necessary equipment.

He said Artesia Junior Secondary School should be taken as an 18 stream and not 12 stream school as the boarding school was forced to admit some students from Kweneng region following the closure of their schools.

For his part, MP for Francistown East, Mr Phandu Skelemani said he was happy the ministry was pursuing its goal of addressing shortage of teachers’ accommodation saying they need to be comfortable in order for them to be able to deliver.

Mr Skelemani said cooperation between teachers and parents was important saying the poor results showed that some parents were not actively involved in the education of their children.

Contributing to the debate, MP for Gaborone West South, Mr Botsalo Ntuane said there was progress aimed at improving education in Botswana.

He said the more resources availed to the education ministry meant an increase in the number of educated Batswana hence an increase in the middle class.

MP Ntuane said the Top Achievers Programme is a welcomed initiative as it encourages students to aspire to go to international universities.

He also welcomed the Back to School programme saying it gave students a second chance in life.

MP Ntuane called for the review of the student allowances saying it has been eroded by inflation and the cost of living has gone up.

He said teachers are facing the problem of lack of accommodation, hence the need to consider assisting them with rental subsidy.

The student/teacher ratio, he said, was high with some classes having up to 46 students for one teacher saying this made it difficult for teachers to monitor progress of all their students.

He said the ministry should also transfer teachers equally saying some have moved between schools frequently while others have remained in one school for many years. BOPA