Schools shut to forestall students' strike

Late last week, Education and Skills Development Minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said that she would not close schools amid fears that students would riot over the fact that they have not been taught in the three weeks that public officers, among them teachers, have been on strike. However, yesterday the ministry was forced to close all government schools indefinitely as angry students demanded that lessons resume. The die was cast as early as last week, although the ministry would not admit it, when at least a dozen police officers and students were injured when the police tried to stop students from several junior secondary schools in the area from demonstrating.

Mmegi visited a number of schools in the Greater Gaborone and Lobatse areas and witnessed events as they unfolded.