Africa-Press – Botswana. Some parents have been called out for selling, or giving drugs to their children to sell to other learners at school.
Shashe West Member of Parliament, Mr Fidelis Molao cautioned the parents at a kgotla meeting in Makobo on Wednesday following complaints about ill behaviour by learners at Tlhalogang Junior Secondary School.
A parent, Mr Gasebonwe Galetshabelwe said the situation at the school was so bad that they feared for their children who were starting Form One, as some senior pupils sold drugs within the school premises without being reprimanded by teachers.
He said as well as endangering other pupils, this also affected teaching and learning in the school.
Mr Galetshabelwe also pointed out that the school’s boarding facilities needed to be attended to, pointing out that some pupils slept on the floor as beds were damaged.
In response, Mr Molao emphasised that the juvenile delinquency at the school needed to be addressed starting from home with parents taking disciplinary action against their children.
He said nurturing of children should not be the responsibility of teachers alone but parents as the main stakeholder needed to play a significant role beginning from home.
He pointed out that for all the years that he had been their MP, he had on numerous occasions received reports of bad behaviour by pupils, particularly drug abuse.
He said some parents are aware of the perpetrators who give their children dagga to sell within the school.
However, he stated that parents failed to report such culprits to the police but continued to live in fear of what might happen to their children while at school.
Regarding maintenance of the hostels, the MP noted that the school was one of those that were recently maintained, and it would not be affordable to always have it renovated to accommodate new pupils.
He urged parents to take the responsibility of talking to their children about vandalising the school property.
He disclosed that plans were underway to have Chamabona Junior Secondary School in Mathangwane turned into boarding facility to accommodate learners from surrounding villages of Jamataka and Natale who were currently enrolled at Dukwi and Zwenshambe respectively.
Mr Molao said the development would help reduce the distance parents travelled to attend schools meetings, which helped in monitoring pupils’ behaviour away from home.
Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Mmusi Jerry asked for an additional classroom block at the primary school, noting that there was severe shortage, which resulted in the need to introduce double shift some classes.
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