National Policies and Legislation

9.3.1Schools

9.3.1.1Primary and Special Education

A notable achievement in this field has been the continued establishment of special education units within the conventional school system to cater for children with disabilities. In Kgatleng District special units have been introduced in some schools, for example there is a special unit for the visually impaired at Lencwe Primary School and a special unit for the mentally retarded at Kgafela Primary School.

This is an approach that should be emphasised for the education system to cater for the majority of our disabled children in a most cost effective manner that avoids unnecessary duplication of resources.

The government through all the stakeholders should put in place the required support structures or services like:-

 Support for both disabled children and their parents/guardians.

 Provision of requisite instructional materials and equipment

 Provision of appropriate trained teachers and support staff

 Inculcation of positive attitudes on the part of the parents/guardians and the community in general towards the disabled.
Naturally, provision of special education in the Botswana context cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader education system.
Kgatleng District Council has 35 Setswana medium primary schools. There is one mission school run by the Roman Catholic Church at Morwa. One new school is being built in Mochudi making a total of 36 primary schools. There is also one privately run English medium school.
The table below shows the current situation at our primary schools, the projected enrolment for the plan period 2003 – 2009 per school at 5% growth annual rate.

Table 9.36 Existing Primary School Facilities in Kgatleng District and Projected Pupil Enrolment up to 2009 at 5% Growth Rate

• 
  Classrooms (assuming a long term ratio of 1:30)
  
• 
  Teachers quarters
  
• 
  Resource centres
  
• 
  Improved Administration blocks
  
• 
  Libraries
  
• 
  2 x 65 seater buses
  
• 
  2 x 25 seater buses for disabled pupils
  
• 
  Toilets (WC)
  
• 
  Tool sheds
  

The distribution of teachers’ cheques should also be taken over by the Ministry of Education as this will relieve teachers of the stress they would have to go through in case they have not been paid properly.

9.3.1.2Secondary School Education

The government has provided a nation wide network of Government Aided Community Junior Secondary Schools with reasonably adequate resources and with provision for communities to participate in the running of schools. Diversification of the curriculum in these schools has been vigorously implemented. The Junior Certificate Curriculum has been revised and expanded to accommodate more practically oriented subjects such as Business Studies, Music and Design and Technology. A computer awareness programme was introduced in some Junior Secondary Schools and will be offered to all schools in NDP9.
Massive expansion of all senior secondary schools was undertaken in NDP8 and this will continue during NDP 9/DDP 6.
In Kgatleng District there is the Molefi Senior Secondary, which is the only senior secondary school in the district and 11 Community Junior Secondary Schools. The Ministry of Education will continue to construct additional facilities in these schools as well as maintain existing ones.

9.3.1.3Non Formal Education

Map 9.3 DNFE Kgatleng Field Staff and their areas of operation.

Cluster	Villages and Settlement Covered	AEA/SAEA	No. of LGLs	No. of Groups	No. of Learners
					F	M
Artesia	Kgomodiatshaba Leshibitse Khurutshe Bodungwane	1	4	4	19	15
Bokaa	Morwa Pilane	1	6	10	70	20
Mathubudukwane	Ramonaka Malolwane	1	5	8	52	23
Mochudi	Mochudi	1	7	12	43	76
Olifantsdrift	Ramotlabaki	1	1	2	9	7
Oodi	Modipane Dikwididi Mokatse Matebele	1	3	4	23	12
Rasesa	Malotwana	1	5	7	35	19
Sikwane	Mabalane	1	3	3	21	7
Totals		8	34	50	272	179

Source: Kgatleng District - Non-Formal Education Office 2002.

There are problems associated with this low participation in the Literacy programme in the District, which are:-

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  Lack of continuity after literacy or completion of primers
  
• 
  Learning needs not adequately addressed
  
• 
  Lack of resources such as transport as well trained and well motivated personnel
  
• 
  Lack of recognition and support by some local authorities
  

9.3.1.4Private Schools

Private schools play an important role in complementing government efforts in the provision of education and training. The Ministry of Education registers and monitors all private schools in order to ensure that quality assurance is implemented. Private education needs to be standardized so that good quality education is achieved. In the district there is only one private primary school and several pre-schools.

9.3.2Training

9.3.2.1Vocational and Tertiary Training

Post School Vocational and Technical training provides skills for specific occupations. An efficient and effective training system is crucial in a country’s economic development and therefore it is necessary to focus attention on the training system distinct from general education and to give it more priority. There should be infusion of prevocational skills and awareness in the basic education curriculum as a prerequisite for development of appropriate vocational/technical skills at subsequent levels of the education and training system through the vocational training colleges and the Brigades. Naturally, technical/vocational education is regarded as providing the basis for practical skills training for industry and the general employment sector with a view to filling in critical skills gaps in the national economy. NDP 9 will thus emphasise on a number of initiatives ranging from expansion of physical facilities to the development of new programmes in both brigades and vocational technical colleges.
Kgatleng Brigade Development Trust just like other Brigades is a community-based institution, which is currently being subsidised financially by the government through the Ministry of Education. It offers five different disciplines namely:- bricklaying and plastering, welding and fabrication, carpentry and joinery and forestry and textile.
Some few years after its inception, the organisation begun to focus more on youth and community development. Some vocational training begun as well as production work.

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