Masisi vows to clean up education 'mess'
Gothataone Moeng | Thursday May 15, 2014 12:09
Dilapidated classrooms and other inadequate infrastructure, shortage of water and staff housing, delays in electrification as well as problems in the delivery of textbooks and learning materials, were among shortcomings discovered by the high-level delegation of cabinet ministers.
President Ian Khama dispatched the ministers to inspect schools in the aftermath of the disappointing nationwide academic results. Although the cabinet delegation still has not made its findings public, Masisi told the Third National Primary School Heads Conference on Tuesday that government is aware of the wide-ranging challenges in schools.
Addressing the first gathering of its magnitude since his appointment at the taxing ministry Masisi, assured school heads that government would do everything to help them succeed.
'I want to placate you, I want to be crystal clear and say - help is coming your way,' he said.
'The ministry is aware of most of the challenges you are facing in your schools, ranging from infrastructure dilapidation, shortage of staff houses, water, electricity to books and other teaching and learning materials to food, books, pots, supply chain process, data integrity and pupil/teacher ratio average.
'Help is on the way.'
Masisi said infrastructural renovations and development have been taken up at the highest level through an ongoing exercise known as Improvements in the Education Sector, which is led by Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe and a committee of cabinet members.
'I urge you to remain hopeful as the exercise will also result in installing a more efficient, responsive and accountable system in our educational institutions at all levels. I repeat, help is on the way and you are central to it. Nxu struu,' he said.
Masisi said the ministry would reassess its budget, and if necessary re-prioritise, to ensure that the help promised to schools reaches them. Traditionally, the education ministry receives the lion's share of the national budget every year, although only a sliver of the funds go towards the running of schools.
This year, the ministry was awarded over P9 billion for its recurrent budget, with only P630 million going towards food, utilities and stationery in schools.
Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, who was relieved of her ministerial duties to steer the Education and Training Strategic Sector Plan, previously revealed that each school required P5.5 million, but would only receive P2.6 million each.
Yesterday Masisi said resources permitting, ongoing electrification of primary schools would result in all schools having some source of power, which would enable them to use all available technologies for the enhancement of learning.
He said with staff shortages in primary schools being addressed, attention should to turn to quality delivery of teaching and learning in schools, with a view to reducing underperformance. Masis also took the opportunity to explain the circumstances of his appointment to the education ministry. He said he was appointed following discussions with Khama, who wanted him to take over ministerial duties to allow Venson-Moitoi to concentrate on heading the Education and Training Strategic Sector Plan.
'There has been no new appointment of ministers. It's all perfectly legal. I am happy to be doing what I am doing, Mma-V is happy to be doing what she is doing. So is Shaw Kgathi and [Vincent] Seretse,' he said, referring to other acting ministers.
Venson-Moitoi was seconded to the Strategic Sector Plan in a cabinet reshuffle last month, sparking concerns among politicians and other commentators that the constitutional limit for members had been breached.
Following heated debates in Parliament, Botswana Congress Party president, Dumelang Saleshando wrote to the Attorney General who replied that any response could compromise the position of government in the event of possible litigation.