Bataung Moeketsi

LETŠENG Diamond Mine recently handed over four classrooms and a three-roomed staffroom to Tšepong Primary School in Mofoloaneng, Mokhotlong.

The construction of the classrooms and staffroom was financed by the mining giant as part of its widely acclaimed corporate social responsibility programme.

The school was founded over a hundred years ago in 1918 by the Mohon Evangelical Church of Southern Africa and it has been dilapidated state for a long time. It has an enrolment of 240 learners with a staff complement of six teachers.

‘Mataelo Ramoloko, a member of the school’s board, said prior to Letšeng’s gesture, some local women had built a mud house to “shield learners from the harsh weather”.

However, Letšeng’s timely intervention will go a long way in making learning a much more comfortable experience for the pupils.

The mining giant put together a M1, 2 million budget for the 18 month long construction project for the infrastructure and additional learning equipment for the school.

Letšeng’s Chief Executive Officer, Kelebone Leisanyane, said they “made this donation after appeals on behalf of the children of the community who were being taught in dilapidated classrooms”.

Mr Leisanyane commended the Ministry of Education and Training for providing the designs for the new structures.

He said now that their mining lease had been renewed for a further 10 years with effect from October 2019, they would increase their support for community initiatives.

Mohon’s representative, Thapelo Ntambo, thanked Letšeng on behalf of the staff and learners.

“We are thankful for this beautiful school, but it also needs another teacher,” Mr Ntambo said.

The Minister of Mining, Temeki Tšolo, advised Ms Seriti Dotoro, the Ministry of Education’s Regional Inspector, to officially inform the government of the “dire need for a new teacher at Tšepong Primary School”.

Mr Tšolo said the refurbishment of the school was in line with the government’s objectives to improve the quality of education for learners.

On his part, Deputy Minister of Education, Kotiti Liholo, expressed gratitude to Letšeng for the donation, saying while so many schools needed assistance, government could not do it by itself as it did not have enough money.