Solar electricity for schools in Tonota North

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday July 31, 2014 12:04

Tshireletso was responding to a question from the area MP Fidelis Molao, who wanted to know why there was a delay in connecting electricity in all the primary schools in the constituency.Molao said the minister promised to do so in the 2013/2014 financial year. He further asked if the connections would be completed in the 2014/2015 financial year. Tshireletso said out of the 12 schools in the constituency, her ministry has successfully fully electrified half of the schools; three are partially electrified while the remaining three are not.

“Of the three that are not electrified, one school which is Jamataka Primary School is not on the electricity grid.  There have been delays in connecting electricity to the two other schools due to a delay in finalising the adjudication of the tender. Those primary schools are Makobo and Matsitama,” she said.

She said the tender for both schools was floated in May 2014 and awarded this month.

Tshireletso told the House that her ministry will connect solar electricity in two classes per each school that does not have electricity. This, it is hoped, will allow pupils and staff to use electric appliances such as; computers and radios.

“The electrification for these two schools will be done during this financial year utilising funds which were sourced from the Ministry of Education and Skills Development. The electrification of outstanding facilities in Mpatane and Nshakashogwe and Sebina primary schools will be done in-house during 2015/2016 financial year,” she added.

MP for Gaborone Central, Dumelang Saleshando, challenged the effort, asking  why schools that didn’t have electricity were given electrical appliances.  He accused the ministry of misusing funds buy purchasing useless items. He said urged the ministry to speed up the connectivity of electricity in all schools, saying this would give children a chance to use computers at a tender age.

Still in Parliament, the assistant Minister of Health, Gloria Somolokae revealed that an infestation of birds and bats at institutions could pose a health hazard that can affect immuno-compromised persons. She said her ministry is working with local authorities to ensure that appropriate pest control measures are put in place by environmental health officers to minimise and prevent the risk of disease transmission.

“Provisions of Public Health Act Cap 63:05 (2013) specifically section 84 stipulates the appropriate measures need to be undertaken to ensure that buildings, dwelling or premises are constructed so as to prevent pest harborage or breeding places which are likely to promote the spread of any disease,” she said.

However, Somolokae told the MPs to take into consideration that bats exist in the ecosystem and that it is not possible nor desirable to achieve absolute eradication of bats in the environment hence they have not alerted Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism to this effect. Somolokae was answering MP Dr Habaudi Hobona who wondered if they were aware that bat infestations in institutions pose a high health hazard.  She asked what the ministry has done to alert the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism to introduce immediate response for the absolute eradication of bats in residential and work places.