Congested Tlhalogang JSS worries school head

Pini Bothoko | Wednesday October 26, 2016 16:20

Addressing the assistant minister, Moiseraela Goya during his visit to the school recently Dipatane said the school is over-subscribed with a total of 1246 students with the numbers increasing every year.

He said with these high numbers students suffer a serious shortage of facilities, including classrooms, laboratories, and books, to mention but a few. Dipatane said these problems have contributed to a rapid deterioration of school’s results over the years.

He said the school that initially started as an 18 stream increased to 24 streams over the years and is now at 30 streams, something that contributes immensely to the congestion.

“On paper we are a 24 stream school whilst on the ground it is 30 stream something that impact badly on the school’s budgets. The school’s budget caters for a 24 stream not 30 and this affects our budgets in almost everything,” Dipatane said. For years this schools has been hard hit by shortage of teachers’ accommodation. He said despite the 24 units allocated under ESP, the accommodation challenges would continue to persist.

“We have 23 teachers who commute from Francistown daily to work and 15 teachers who are renting houses here and surrounding villages. This school’s condition worries teachers and contributes immensely to the school’s performance,” Dipatane said.

He said that the school is expecting 136 students from Shashemooke primary school and 62 pupils from Makobo primary school to do form one who will also be staying in the school.