MoESD resolves finally to maintain dilapidated school

Pini Bothoko | Friday September 25, 2015 16:40

Touring the school on Wednesday, the assistant minister of Education Moiseraela Goya was visibly shocked by its condition.

Later, when addressing the school management and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) a perturbed Goya disclosed that the ministry has resolved to maintain the entire school during the current financial year.

He however said that the ministry was yet to quantify the amount needed for maintenance.

He stated that Tlhalogang JSS is amongst the top 10 schools that needed immediate attention.

“The tender for this project will be advertised next month. We are hoping to hand over the site to the contractor in December to start work on the school,” said Goya.

He said the maintenance would last for six months and would cover the school, hostels and staff houses.

Goya said government has always wanted to maintain all public schools every five years but has failed due to financial constraints.

He said that Tlhalogang JSS was supposed to have been maintained in 2005/06 and again in 2014/15 but that could not be done due to shortage of funds.

Goya blamed recession for the delay of the majority of the country’s development projects.

The assistant minister went on to advise the PTA and the community of the two villages to raise money to help the government to build extra classrooms to reduce overcrowding of learners.

The state of the school has been a worry to members of the community for years.

Recently, during a full council meeting held at Tonota Sub-District Council civic leaders of Borolong and Chadibe villages raised a concern over the school’s condition.

The civic leaders revealed that the school was not conducive to a learning environment, even describing it as a death-trap.

Relieved village leaders said the school has never been maintained since it started operating in 1996.

The school has 1, 277 students; 509 boarders from nearby villages of Makobo and Shashemooke and 768 day-scholars from Borolong and Chadibe.