19 Oct 2014

A new junior secondary school will be built in Maun at the tune of P127 145 403.25, the acting Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Speaking at the ground breaking event at Disaneng ward in Maun on October 18, Mr Masisi said the need for an additional school was informed by the fact that the four existing ones were over-crowded.

He said the student population in Maun had grown and as a result, the current schools of Tsodilo, Sedie, Tshwaragano and Moeti Junior Secondary Schools became incapacitated.

He said overcrowding in schools had led to negative impacts such as compromised quality education, pressure on classrooms and teachers’ accommodation, amongst others.

The four junior secondary schools, he said, had a total of 4 525 students amongst them, adding that 24 primary schools in Maun, of which 18 were public and six private fed the four junior secondary schools.

Mr Masisi said the new school, which would have a capacity of 600 students and 12 class rooms, was part of NDP 9 in which the government took a decision to construct two junior secondary schools in Maun, one in Gantsi and another Fracistown.

However, he said due to the economic downturn which led to some projects being shelved, government decided to build two such schools only in Maun and Francistown.

He said the contract to build the new school, which will be done in two phases, was awarded to citizen-owned contractors in line with Citizen Empowerment Policy.

The two phases of the project are expected to be completed at the same time, the first phase is the construction of academic facilities which commenced on August 22 and is to be completed by February 20, 2016.

The second phase, which entails staff house, was delayed due to land problems, however the phase is expected to commence during the first quarter of 2015/2016 financial year, and is expected to be complete by February 2016.

Mr Masisi said the project would add infrastructure development to Maun as well as create job opportunities to 60 teachers and non-teaching staff thus uplift the local economy.

Batawana acting paramount chief, Kealetile Moremi thanked MoESD for the new school, saying the relocation of people from Botshabelo ward due to the airport expansion was one of the factors that led to more pupils at Disaneng, thus the need for a new school. ENDS