Disability policy under review
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday August 15, 2017 17:04
Giving a keynote address during the handing over of a guardhouse at the Francistown Centre of the Deaf (FCD), Kwerepe said that the draft policy document has already been submitted and will be debated in Parliament anytime soon.
He stated that the adoption of the policy would promote integration of people with disabilities in all spheres of life.
Kwerepe said that the steady increasing numbers of people living with disabilities is becoming a challenge to their service provision.
Kwerepe said that due to the growing numbers of people living with disabilities, there is a need for collaboration from the general public, the private sector and other stakeholders as a way of playing their social responsibility in the community.
He said that the government could not do everything alone especially when they are facing crisis of dwindling national resources.
Kwerepe said that the noble gesture by office of the Auditor General (AG) of handing over a guardhouse is an excellent practical example of what can be achieved though such collaborations.
He said that in these connections the government bears the bulk of the recurrent expenditure such as salaries while the business community covers teaching aid equipment and other essentials.
He indicated that according to the population census of 2011, there are more than 59,000 people living with disabilities in Botswana.
“Out of this number, 11,981 are people with hearing impairments of which 5,533 are female and 6,444 are male,” he said.
He said that the donation would enhance the security for the learners and provide a dignified working environment for security officers.
He applauded Office of the AG for their selfless and noble gesture of reaching out to the community.
The assistant minister reminded attendees that community service day was introduced as the President’s initiative whereby public officers dedicate the last Friday of every month to serve the community.
The AG, Pulane Letebele said that the donation is part of their social responsibility.
She said that the guardhouse would be able to secure the FCD and promote a good learning environment.
“We were told that in the past the guard had to leave the place insecure when they visited the rest rooms which made the place unsafe for the children,” he said.
Letebele said that FCD is still facing a lot of difficulties such of shortage of bedding and buildings that are old and need to be maintained including the kitchen which does not meet the standard requirement of the council.
She urged the business community to offer a helping hand to the centre for the betterment of the children’s lives.
She expressed great gratitude to Panda Bricks, Francistown CTM employees, other stakeholders and her team who contributed their manpower and money to construct the guardhouse.
She said that the construction of the gatehouse amounted to P92,000.