Venson-Moitoi appeals for teachers' patience

PINI BOTHOKO
Correspondent | Friday March 16, 2012 00:00

 

Venson-Moitoi first congratulated members of the Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) of schools around Francistown for turning up at PTA meetings and her meeting in large numbers.  She urged teachers to cooperate among themselves, with PTAs and the school management as they all strive to build an educated and informed nation.She said parents should take full responsibility for the education of their children by monitoring and guiding them at home. As for teachers, she said their task was primarily to facilitate learning by the students and not to raise them as that task belonged to the parents.

She said PTA members should visit students who are not performing well in their schoolwork at home and talk to their parents and in the event parents were not willing to cooperate, they (PTA members), should involve chiefs and church leaders. 'Parents should be involved in their children's academic work, performance and talk to teachers about how their children could be helped to pass,' she said. The minister told teachers and their management to start meeting among themselves regularly to share ideas on how to manage and solve problems that arise in their schools. 'When I come for another visit in July, I would like to find such staff meetings taking place to establish problems or issues that need my attention, ' said Venson-Moitoi.

She said she was concerned about unprivileged students who pass but have problems of insufficient funds to further their studies. She said such students suffer when they have to move up to senior schools, as their parents will be unable to pay for books they owe at junior secondary schools. 'Bana ba jaaka bana ba bangwe ba tshwanetse go akola boswa jo eleng thuto (Like other children, these children must enjoy the benefits of education as well), but they are always afraid to seek for help,' said Moitoi.

She went on to explain that since 2009 when she took over at the ministry, she has always been concerned about shortage of accommodation for teachers, a problem that she said was prevalent in the whole country.  She therefore pleaded with the teachers to cooperate and share houses and be patient while the problem of lack of accommodation was being addressed. 'There is no money but we are now in the process of buying 88 houses in Francistown at Gerald Estate from Botswana Housing Corporation (BHC) to augment accommodation for teachers,' she said.

The minister promised teachers that wherever there are BHC houses, they were going to buy houses for teachers and even if it might not be enough for all of them it will be something but they should always share like they have been doing. She added that she has asked for money to maintain all schools in the country and promised those who have a problem with run-down buildings in their schools that they will be repaired before the end of this year.'I have once told head teachers of different schools back in 2010 to list all things that they need so that when the ministry is given money all this will be sorted and now is the time I am going to settle all of your problems,' she said.

Venson-Moitoi said all schools will be provided with Internet and the ministry will buy photocopying machines for all the schools since most schools have been complaining about them. Venson-Moitoi told head teachers to bring about peace among teachers who were on strike and those who were not because the two parties were not at peace and this affects the learning environment in schools. 'They should cooperate for the sake of the students', she said.

'Nna ke ba itshwaretse, ke bana bame mme le bone ba tshwanetse go dirisana mmogo sentle. Ba bitsana maina. Ba bangwe gatwe ke malope ba bangwe ke diganana (I have forgiven them - those who were on strike- they are my children. There must be cooperation among the teachers. Teachers call each other puppets and rebels), 'she said. She said she has forgiven those who were on strike but she has heard that there are some who are still not putting enough effort in their work. She told those teachers to start taking their work seriously because they will be told to resign and create space for teachers who are still unemployed.