Plans underway to change use of F/town school premises

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 9, 2015 15:53

On Friday, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Francistown West Ignatius Moswaane tabled a motion before Parliament seeking government to turn the old school into a vocational and technical centre.

Supported by most MPs, the motion was amended by Parliament to be Vocational and Technical centre.

Moswaane said the Francistown council has failed to rent out the place and instead, thieves have taken over the old school.

“I believe the school can cost the Government close to P15 million to upgrade and renovate. Our city council has failed to take advantage of the old buildings and now thieves are using the place.

“The painful part is that the Accountancy College has long requested council to use those buildings but it refused without giving any reasons,” Moswaane said.

The MP for Francistown South, Wynter Mmolotsi also supported Moswaane saying the Vocational and Technical centre would benefit youth in Francistown with skills especially that there are mines and big companies in the area.

“The reason why some of our youth are failing to find jobs is because they do not have skills,” Mmolotsi said. MP for Gaborone Bonnington South Ndaba Gaolathe said there was need to empower youth with skills.

He said the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) is advocating for appropriate skills development and education systems, which are readily integrated with needs of industrial policy to solve lack of skills among the young people.

Another speaker MP for Sefhare/Ramokgonami Dorcas Makgato said, “Government buildings which lie idle should be put to good used. I really appreciate what Moswaane has done. The government cannot spend millions on the buildings and then abandon them”.

The Minister of Education and Skills Development and Vice President, Mokgweetsi Masisi said his ministry would support the establishment of the vocational and technical training centre.