Africa-Press – Botswana. Bobirwa Sub-district Council has been urged to prioritise maintenance Robelela Primary School.
Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr Sethabelo Modukanele said he was aware that the sub-council was handicapped by financial constraints, but the dire status of the school facilities ought to be given utmost consideration.
“I appeal to you to include the school among those prioritised for maintenance,” he said.
Touring the school premises on Friday, accompanied by the Member of Parliament of Mmadinare, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi, the assistant minister said despite the dilapidated facilities, teachers and pupils must remain focused and do their best to pave way for a better future.
“Despite the challenging environment, remain focused in your work and strive for good results,” said Mr Modukanele.
He added that shortage of teaching and learning materials and dilapidated buildings should not deter them from producing good results, thus commending the school for the 70 per cent pass rate in the 2022 PSLE, an improvement from 66 per cent scored in 2021.
For his part, Mr Molebatsi said though most schools in his constituency needed maintenance, Robelela primary school must be given priority since it was the most dilapidated.
Mr Molebatsi staff houses also needed maintenance adding that a habitable environment would motivate teachers to do their work effectively.
He added that there was a point where the school results declined extremely to an unsatisfactory pass rate of 18 per cent, attributing that to many factors among them poor accommodation for teachers.
Mr Molebatsi urged parents to join hands with teachers to improve academic results.
For his part the Senior Assistant Council Secretary for Bobirwa Sub-district Council Mr Molefhi Lepang concurred that the sub-council was faced by financial constraints hence the delay in maintaining Robelela primary school and other schools in the sub-district.
Mr Lepang said lack of maintenance in schools was a serious concern hence they had appealed to Central District Council and the Ministry to intervene.
He said the sub-council was allocated P22 million to be utilised in a quarter yet in need of P37 million.
The school head, Ms Ketlogetswe Samuel said the school had a pupil population of 305, 15 teachers, 10 teachers’ houses and 11 classrooms.
Ms Samuel said since the school opened in 1998, maintenance of school facilities had never been carried out as such the school had turned out to be a breeding place for bats.
She also decried shortage of stationery and furniture as well as staff welfare issues such as promotions, transfers.
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