Africa-Press – Botswana. Schools in the Okavango area are poorly resourced which affects learning and denies the pupils’ the opportunity to compete with their peers, Okavango Member of Parliament, Mr Kenny Kapinga has said.
In his contribution to the State-of-the-Nation Address on November 20, Mr Kapinga said the situation at the schools did not allow for a conducive learning environment.
The problem is not peculiar to the Okavango area as schools countrywide are struggling due to lack of basic resources such as computers, printers, photo copying machines, he said.
He said previously, the then Minister of Education had earmarked Gowa school for immediate closure, but it was surprising to find it operational despite the desolate environment.
Mr Kapinga said the quality of education in his constituency was also affected by engagement of temporary teachers who were also facing a challenge of late payments of their salaries.
He appealed to government to elaborate the basic requirements of satellite schools adding that Tsodilo Satellite Primary School had minimal basic facilities.
Additionally, Mr Kapinga said Okavango had great potential of growing the economy, with vast mineral resources underground, which were yet to be mined.
“If we were to open a mine, it will change the economy of the area for good,” he said, adding that Okavango was also rich in oil deposits.
Another thing that would change the economy of the area, he said would be selling cattle to Botswana Meat Commission at better prices.
He said opening of Kgomokgwana camp had shown little progress in that respect.
He added that it was necessary to gravel the road from Samochima to Kgomokgwana camp for farmers to easily transport their cattle to the loading bay.
On livestock theft, he said a properly resourced stock theft unit was ideal to deal with the problem.
Noting that the majority of his constituents were reliant on agriculture, Mr Kapinga said challenges affecting the farmers were not being dealt with as efforts by arable farmers were frustrated by elephants and other wild animals.
DAILYNEWS
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