09 Mar 2025

Over enrolment in Boteti District schools is resulting in acute shortage of resources.

Addressing Heads of Departments  in Letlhakane recently, Education Officer in Boteti District Ms Oratile Thonkga said the high enrolment had put pressure on school facilities such as classrooms, desks, chairs and textbooks. She said authotrities had opted for the double-shift system as a result, which was also not helping the situation.

She said double shift  seemed to be working against good performance in schools. She said Letlhakane schools were the most hard hit, adding that Ditsweletse and Motsumi junior secondary schools experienced an overwhelming increase on a yearly basis. She said enrolment for Form One was at 460 for both schools.

She asked government to consider building at least one more junior secondary school to accommodate the rising numbers. Ms Thonkga indicated that efforts were made to secure chairs and Makgadikgadi and Motsumi schools now had adequate chairs while Makalamabedi JSS was awaiting delivery.

Ms Thonkga said it was envisaged that the completion of the primary school built in Letlhakane would go a long way in reducing the overwhelming numbers, noting that it was still evident that one or two primary schools were needed.

Furthermore, Ms Thonkga said shortage of boarding facilities at various secondary schools posed a challenge, as students slept on the floor, citing Mopipi, Makalamabedi and Motopi JSS. She noted that some learners from Mokobaxane still commuted to Mopipi as a result. 

In addition, Ms Thonkga said the district registered  62.40 per cent pass rate in the 2024 Primary School Leaving Certificate, which was an increase of 2.83 per cent when compared to 59.67 per cent in 2023. She said only two schools reached the set national target of 76 per cent, with Mmanthabakwe achieving position one at 86.67 per cent, which is above the stretch target of 80 per cent.

In the Junior Certificate Examination, a total of 664 students obtained Merit, A, B, and C or 35.08 per cent, which was an increase of 2.19 per cent as compared to the 2023 results, where the pass rate was 32.89 per cent. Ms Thonkga said the best performing school was Orapa at 78 per cent which obtained position one nationally.

In the Botswana General Certificate in Secondary Education 2024 results, Letlhakane Senior Secondary School obtained 17.38 per cent pass, which was a drop compared 19.09 per cent in 2023.  ENDS