30 Jan 2025

Tonota College of Education (TCE) staff has been commended for not giving in to the environment they work under but choosing to render good service.

Minister of Higher Education, Mr Prince Maele made the commended during a visit to the institution on Tuesday, the aim of which was to afford him a chance to appreciate the challenges they faced and learn about their needs.

Though the school is faced with so many challenges, I will like to commend the staff for doing their best under the circumstances, Mr Maele said and informed them that the role they played was critical to the economy since they produced teachers who in turn, passed the skills they acquired to others.

He said the collaboration between TCE and other learning institutions as Botswana International University of Science and Technology and Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources was vital in enhancing knowledge at those institutions.

Minister Maele promised that the students’ allowance would be increased. Tonota College of Education principal, Ms Martha Sereetsi said the school was as old, 35-years and faced with lack of maintenance.

“Since its inception it has not received major renovations leading to dilapifdated facilities,” said Ms Ms Sereeetsi.

She said some areas which required major renovations included students’ hostels, kitchen, laboratories, ablution blocks and library.

Ms Sereetsi said despite all these, the school continued to work hard to fulfil its mandate with its dedicated staff and produce 100 per cent results.

However, Ms Sereetsi applauded the support which they got from Tonota village Community including, parents, bogosi and other stakeholders.

In her presentation, The Student Representative Committee (SRC) president, Ms Jennifer Modise told the minister to address students’ concerns.

Some of the challenges the school is facing, she said included lack of computers, old hostels, ablution blocks as well and tables among others.

Ms Modise highlighted that their library had been in not in good state for so long and they were currently using a multipurpose hall as a library which were leaking during rains.

She also appealed to the minister to address the issue of the kitchen in TCE which inconveniences the students as it had been closed.

The staff representative, Mr Mosalagae Moalosi said the staff of TCE have so much challenges which needs to be addressed

Mr Moalosi said TCE had been awaiting the transformation from being a Diploma offering College into a Degree offering Institution which is not happening.

The other thing which Mr Moalosi noted is the introduction of outcome Based Education (OBE) which he said the lecturers has not been trained on it and the facilities they have cannot accommodate it. ENDS