Isaiah Morewagae
2 July 2009
Thirty children, aged between three and 12 years, were left stranded in rented school premises at the Gaborone English Medium Education Centre (GEMEC) after the school officials ran away when Ministry of Education, Skills and Development officials arrived on Friday morning.
The school is based in 'MaruaPula' in Gaborone. The managers of the school, said to be operating illegally, ran for dear life as the officials came to inquire about why they were still operating. They were ordered to close on several occasions in the past.
The school premises double up as a residential home as there are other tenants staying in a house in the compound.
The school allegedly charges parents up to P2,350 per term for each student. The ministry officials led by the assistant public relations officer, Godfrey Kalanke, pounced on the school premises on a tip off that the school relocated instead of closing.
Kalanke said they as the ministry have been following the school since 2005, as the school was not registered with any of the ministry's branches. He added that the last time they checked with the school management, they were told that they had closed their school. "They just fooled us and moved to the other side of Maruapula," Kalanke said.
Kalanke asserted that they were concerned about the kids that were attending the school. The classes allegedly are conducted in a residential house, with all students attending the same class , irrespective of their grade or standard. The officials were also concerned that since the school was not under their supervision, they do not know which syllabus they are using.
"Our primary and other education levels' syllabuses keep on changing and we are wondering whether they have been keeping up with the changes," the officials said.
Kalanke further said they were making a follow up on the minister's communication to the school management that they have to close down their operation. "We were surprised to learn that they were still operating," he said.
According to one of the employees who was left with no option but to answer for the run-away management, the school is run by Ugandan nationals.
Beauty Zikhali, who works as a teacher, said at the school premises that she had no choice but to stay behind for the sake of the stranded kids.
She said the director, only known as Oscar, ran away when he saw the officials arriving. Zikhali said she has been working for the school for the past five years.
"I was not around when were relocated here a month ago," she explained.
She added that she was not aware that the school was operating illegally as the management's reasons for relocation was not consistent with what the officials were saying.
"The management told us that the ministry was concerned about the ablution at our previous premises hence we moved here," she said. She was shocked to learn that the management has been ordered to close the school although it failed to do so.
"I was only sent the directions to this place as I was not present when we relocated. Some parents can bear testimony to what I am saying as they phoned to let me know that their kids have not been admitted as they were no vacancies at the new premises," Zikhali said.
One parent, who was called to the scene, faulted the ministry officials for not making them aware on time that the school was operating illegally. The parent said the school officials enticed them with up to date documentation that the school was genuine.
"They call us on our cell phones and write us letters on sheets that have letterheads which made us not suspect that they were illegal," the dejected parent said.
He pointed an accusing finger at the ministry saying that they should have warned parents earlier by placing advertisements in the local media.
However, he was also informed that he had the responsibility to ascertain that his kids get the best education at a proper school and he can do that by seeking assistance from the relevant authority at the ministry.
The police only intervened after the school officials ran away.
Sub Inspector Baboneng Modiegi urged all those concerned to join hands and help in apprehending the school managers.
Modiegi said the managers could be charged with obtaining by false pretences.
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