04 Jun 2024

Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) has donated seven lap top computers to Kgomodiatshaba Primary School in the Kgatleng District. 

Speaking during the official handing over ceremony on Monday, the Kgatleng District Council Chairperson, Mr Daniel Molokwe, commended BITC for meeting the Ministry of Education and Skills Development half way through the donation. He said in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the computers would come handy especially when given to those who need them the most. 

He said Kgomodiatshaba was one of the remotest areas in the Kgatleng District that needed attention in service provision to learners and the community at large. Mr Molokwe said the village had been left behind on the Internet connectivity and the computers would help in addressing the shortage. 

He said as much as the BITC was making an important donation that would bridge the gap and accord pupils an opportunity to learn through computers, the school had a challenge of Internet connection. 

The chairperson therefore asked the BITC to consider helping the school, as that would bring the world closer to the learners. 

He said Kgomodiatshaba pupils would catch up with their peers across the country who were advanced in technology. 

Mr Molokwe thanked the BITC for the donation and for choosing the Kgomodiatshaba school among many that they could have chosen to give to. 

He sold the idea of the Adopt-A-School initiative to the BITC and asked them to consider the adoption of the school as that would motivate and inspire learners. BITC Director of Public Relations and Corporate Affairs, Ms Ponalo Tumelo, said the initiative to donate came through the community and social responsibility programme where the BITC wanted to give back to Batswana. She said they then approached the Ministry who directed them to Kgomodiatshaba Primary School. 

Ms Tumelo added that initially the ministry wanted 14 computers but BITC only managed seven, promising to keep finding ways of securing more. 

The director said the computers would play a major role in making learning easy. 

In his appreciation remarks, the school head Mr Boyboy Rapelana, appreciated the donation of the computers, as they would ease learning.

Mr Rapelana, who said he was still new at the school,  promised to work hard and turn the school performance around. 

He said the school faced challenges among them, the use  of pit latrines, geysers not working and he requested that the situation be attended to without delay. 

When giving a vote of thanks, Councilor Tshepo Ruele said they had been honoured by the donation from the BITC. 

He said him and the council chairperson planned to acquire routers for the school and clinic as a personal initiative to help learners  and the community access the Internet. 

He said the Internet was central to education, as research and study materials could be accessed easily through the Internet. ends