26 Jan 2025

Minister of Higher Education, Mr Prince Maele has promised that allowances for brigades students would be raised despite budgetary constraints.

Mr Maele made the announcement during a visit to the Kweneng Rural Development Association (KRDA) recently.

He however acknowledged pressures on the fiscus due to the decline in diamond revenues, a significant source of income for the country that has been affected by global market trends and local production challenges.

He reassured the brigades students of his unwavering commitment, stating that their allowances would be increased, even if not to the extent that they desired. 

“Even if we cannot meet your exact expectations, we will do what we can to improve your situation,” Mr Maele said.

Mr Maele acknowledged that the current P300 allowance provided to brigades students was inadequate.

He empathised with the students, stressing that the allowance was far too low to cover the needs of students for a month, and had not kept pace with the rising cost of living. Minister Maele also spoke about the need to transform the perception of brigades.

“We must see brigades as institutions that can change lives,” he said, noting that brigades had potential to address high levels of unemployment by producing skilled people who would be able to be self-employed.

Member of Parliament for Molepolole South, Mr Shima Monageng called for construction of a fully-fledged Vocational Training College in Molepolole, highlighting that land for such a project was readily available from the Bakwena Trust.

‘With the ministry’s support, we can create a world-class training facility that will transform the lives of young people in our community,” he said.

KRDA Deputy Principal, Ms Obolokile Moreri, appealed to the minister for infrastructure and equipment upgrades to bring the facility up to modern standards.

Ms Moreri shared some of the achievements of the school’s Auto Mechanics department, which has assisted other government departments with vehicle maintenance.

‘We have skilled and dedicated students and staff, and with the right resources, we can do even more for our community,’ she said.”  Mr Tshepo Sebina, a representative from the Student Representative Council, shared the challenges facing KRDA students.

He appealed for protective clothing, more learning resources, an increase in qualified lecturers, a higher students’ allowance, and an improvement of water supply and sanitation facilities. ENDS