Ramatea Vocation School's future hangs in balance

BABOKI KAYAWE
Staff Writer | Wednesday August 31, 2011 00:00

This follows government's rejection of proposals on how the school could be taken over. In a letter to the commissioner of labour, Motse stated that the board proposed the school be taken over like other mission schools, compensation be paid to the Lutheran Development Association of Churches of Botswana (LUDABO) and that it be supported like other organisations, such as Banabametsi and Banabaletsatsi, which are not brigades. 

'Taking over the programmes, staff, students and continue to operate in LUDABO premises until the government is ready to relocate or merge RAVOS, preferably with Kanye Brigade Development Trust,' Motse wrote yesterday.After government rejected their proposal, LUDABO opted not to hand over the school last Saturday.

However, the board recently submitted a proposal to the Department of Technical Vocational Education and Training requesting to be given six months winding-up period from October to March next year.

'This will enable the school to clear most of the students from the system and also give staff and the public a notice of intention to close down,' stated Motse. 

The worst fear is that government will stop the training fund, which includes student sponsors. The school currently has 339 students some of them expected to complete studies in 2013.  RAVOS belongs to LUDABO and run by a board of trustees under LUDABO Notorious Deed of Trust known as Ravos Board made of six members, two of which are appointed by the Minister of Education and Skills Development.

According to Motse, divisions started recently over the issue of takeover as all had been well. Meanwhile, attempts to get the Lutheran Church leadership to comment proved futile as Bishop Monyega is said to be out of the country. His assistant, Reverend Noko said he was not conversant with the issue.