11 Jan 2015

The construction of a new junior secondary school at Disaneng ward is progressing well. The project, which would be built at P127 million started last October.

In an interview, Ngamiland regional education director, Mr Acronews Maseko said the project was on the right track and he hoped the school would be ready to admit students by 2016.

He said they had placed works superintendent from the ministry at the site to ensure proper supervision and monitoring. He said the project would be completed within time and budget.

“I am impressed with the project performance as it is progressing well and we are hopeful that it would be completed by 2016,” he said.

Mr Maseko said they did not want to repeat mistakes that happened during the construction of Shakawe Senior Secondary School hence they engaged a clerk of works from the ministry.

The project, he said, was done in two phases. The first phase was the construction of academic facilities while the second phase entails staff houses.

He said the government has decided to build an additional school due to overcrowding at the four existing schools.

The project, which was part of NDP 9, was shelved due to the economic downturn and the government decided to build two such schools in Maun and Francistown this financial year.

Last year during the ground breaking ceremony of the project, the then acting Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the student population in Maun had grown and that the current schools of Tsodilo, Sedie, Tshwaragano and Moeti junior secondary schools had become incapacitated.

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

Mr Masisi said the new school would have a capacity of 600 students and 12 classrooms. ENDS