Africa-Press – Botswana. Minister of Defence and Security and Member of Parliament for Gabane/Mmankgodi constituency, Mr Kagiso Mmusi this week visited Lesirane Primary School and Mogoditshane Block 9 to check on the progress of ongoing projects.
At Lesirane, deputy school head, Ms Nyalala Ramasu said despite challenges, they strived for better results and obtained a 70 per cent pass rate in 2022 from 66 per cent in 2021.
The school has an enrolment of 1 385 pupils, which Ms Ramasu said was the biggest number they have ever had, adding that it was straining resources.
She said they hoped to add two more Standard One classrooms and one each for Standard Two up to Standard Seven to accommodate all the pupils.
In addition to the shortage of classrooms, she said there was inadequate furniture and parents had been requested to buy chairs for their children.
She also said there was a shortage of books and teaching aids as well as cleaning staff and cooks.
Mr Mmusi noted that funds to finance projects were diverted to fight COVID-19 to save Batswana from the scourge.
He assured Lesirane residents and teachers that he understood their challenges that came with having a large number of pupils.
He urged village leaders, social workers and residents to work with his constituency office to assist the school.
He added that he would strive to address all the challenges highlighted by the school management.
The MP said the education of his constituents was a priority, noting that in 2019 they partnered with the Indian Embassy to give some youth in his constituency a chance to further their studies in India.
He noted that qualifying candidates were given free scholarship and that 35 of them were from Gabane-Mmankgodi constituency.
MP Mmusi also visited a construction site in Mogoditsane Block 9 to see progress on the new school and staff houses.
The project is expected to be completed in November 2024.
The new primary school will have 22 classrooms and is expected to help decongest other schools in the area.
The project manager, Mr Baoleki Tumedi said the project was at 15 per cent.
He said they would employ more people to complete the project on time if the need arose.
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