Africa-Press – Botswana. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has lauded Marang Day Care and Pre-School in Serowe for delivering a first class system of early childhood education and development.
Speaking during the institution’s graduation ceremony on Saturday, Mr Autlwetse said Marang was a living testimony of the hallmark of a caring and civilised society.
He thus thanked the Roman Catholic Church and in particular the day care centre for their visionary leadership that had long laid the foundation at the core of human and social development that impacted many lives.
He said the school pioneered early childhood care and education in 1986 with 30 graduates who were then absorbed by government primary schools.
Back then, Botswana was still establishing its roots in the education sector, hence prioritising the then common Standard One to seven classes for primary schools, Minister Autlwetse said.
He said the institution as torch bearers in early childhood education and development deserved applause.
He noted that pioneers such as the institution under the ownership of the Roman Catholic Church would later influence the recommendations of the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE) of 1994, to develop a pre-primary education curriculum and train teachers in that regard.
Furthermore, Mr Autlwetse opined that the advent of the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP) of 2015 – 2020 catalysed the introduction of pre-primary education in public schools so as to accord an opportunity for children in the zero to six years’ age bracket to access quality education equitably, pointing that the five-year strategic plan symbolised government’s commitment to improve the education sector.
He quoted President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi when delivering the State-of-the-Nation Address as saying, ‘government is providing early childhood education as a human right and public good’.
He said to date, the country boasted 714 schools that offered reception classes, out of 766 with an enrolment of 29 560 learners.
He spoke of government’s unwavering commitment and milestone, noting government had enrolled 1 657 teachers and 861 teacher aides, adding that the remaining balance of 52 schools surely should be catered for in the subsequent planning sessions, funds permitting.
The role of the private sector and parents teachers associations (PTAs), he said were critical in turning around the academic results as government alone could not afford to transform the education sector, hence needed collaborative efforts.
He said institutions such as Marang Day Care and Pre-School and PTAs had marshalled the education sector thus far, a rare opportunity that blended education and faith together to produce morally upright graduates who surely should assist in correcting the immorality portraying the youth of nowadays.
Minister encouraged parents to canvass others to bring more pupils to such institutions as it helped to grow the private sector and decongest public schools that would assist in the attainment of quality education.
Furthermore, the minister said it was appropriate to fund such institutions, saying, in the financial year 2021/22 government through the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, provided grants to the tune of P6m and over P4m in the current financial year to various voluntary groups, communities and church-owned centres.
Minister Autlwetse pledged P10 000 in the near future as a way of encouraging the institution to continue with an impressive track record.
For his part, Saint Gabriel Catholic Church’s Parish chairperson, Mr Masego Leburu said faith-based education in child development accorded children an opportunity to learn a set of principles and practices such as kindness, truthfulness, prayerfulness so as to help children discern what was upright and immoral.
He said such a move would enable children to shun social ills unlike today’s youth who were tormenting fellow learners and teachers as well as giving their guardians a hard time.
In early childhood education, he said Christian values established a special blend of faith and learning, thus acting as a moral guide, shaping children’s actions and interactions, and cultivating a sense of responsibility and empathy towards others.
The fusion of faith and learning, he said, extended beyond mere academics, instilling a profound understanding of right and wrong in children, which could steer their decisions throughout their lives.
Mr Leburu said the ultimate goal was to have responsible citizens who would better serve the country locally and in the international domain.
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