13 Oct 2014

Acting Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi, says the situation where children travelled long distances to schools in places as far as Nxamasere and Sepopa for their primary education was over.

Officially opening Kajaja Primary School recently, Mr Masisi said the decision to build a school in Kajaja, was to increase accessibility to primary education. 

“More learners have been retained due to this arrangement as compared to those who would have dropped out due to the long distances they previously would have had to travel,” he said.

On other issues, Minister Masisi commended the head teacher, Mr Keneilwe Banks for “a job well done.” He said the school only began operating this year and already had 52 students in standard one, two and three classes. 

The minister also said he was pleased that for the past two terms, the school attained 92 per cent, which placed it in the first position in the Shakawe sub-region out of 17 schools.

Narrating the school history, senior assistant council secretary, Mr Onthatile Molelu said the dream to build the school started in July 2013, after President Khama’s visit to the village. 

He said parents said they needed a primary school because young children travelled up to 18km daily for their primary education in Sepopa and Nxamasere. Mr Molelu said the Okavango Sub-district council and the regional education office in Maun worked together as a team and made the dream a reality. 

Even though there was no budget for the project, he mentioned that they took material from different places. 

“Broken chairs from other schools were repaired and experts from the Okavango sub council such as bricklayers and painters were involved to make this dream come true. We managed to build the school and even bought houses for teachers from contractors, who were building Gumare internal roads,’’ he said.

Furthermore, Mr Molelu said the school had acquired a plot and funds permitting the school will be built and the current facility will be used as early remedial classes and orientation for beginners.

Okavango sub district council chairperson, Councillor Samson Mauno said acquiring old furniture from different schools did not mean that they were looking down upon students but forced by circumstances due to lack of funds. 

That, he added, ensured that students continued to receive education in an enabling environment despite shortage of funds. 

He also commended Kajaja residents who took part in the construction of the school. 

He pointed out that the same project was being replicated in Eretsha to ensure that students did not travel long distances for their education. 

He said their main aim as the Okavango sub district council was to have a fully-fledged school in Kajaja where there will also be standard seven classes. ENDS