16 May 2024

Ministry of Education and Skills Development is committed to making public schools  learner and teacher friendly platforms able to impact positively on the academic performance.

Assistant Minister Education and Skills Development, Ms Nnaniki Makwinja said this May 15, when addressing a press conference in Gaborone. She assured Batswana that the ministry was working to improve ‘the status of not so welcoming situations at schools’.

 “As a ministry we are quite aware of challenges facing our schools in providing a conducive environment where learners and teachers can have a fun-filled learning and improve on their academic success,” she said.

Acknowledging that some schools buildings were dilapidated and required thorough maintenance, Ms Makwinja assured the public that the ministry was working tirelessly to address the issue. “We expect delayed projects to start soon and continue as expected to completion, on time, to cost and quality, therefore addressing this problem. We are also mapping some measures to engage our learners, parents and general public to find ways of taking care of these buildings as theirs, and rightly so, so that they remain in a good state to support our education, public use and for future generations,” said Ms Makwinja.

The assistant minister expressed hope that companies that would be engaged to carry out construction and maintenance of school facilities would do quality work that would save government money. 

Further, the assistant minister assured the nation that the ministry was also looking at maintaining teachers’ houses, which needed urgent attention, adding ‘this should come as a morale booster to our selfless teachers to do more’.

With regard to challenge of shortage of books in schools, Ms Makwinja said the matter was being attended to, explaining that consultations with publishers and distributers were ongoing to find a lasting solution.

In his vote of thanks, Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Aubrey Lesaso thanked teachers for their hard work and commitment, assuring the nation that the ministry was going to put preventative and asset management systems in place to ensure schools were regularly inspected and maintained.

However, he expressed concern about negligence displayed by some learners when handling or using school equipment and furniture. Most dilapidated school buildings, he said, were as a result of indiscipline among by some pupils.

He stressed the need for parents and teachers to work together to instill discipline in schools. Ends