25 Mar 2025

The Minister of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Dr Nono Kgafela-Mokoka says her ministry does not have plans to convert Madikwe and Oodima Junior Secondary Schools into unified schools. Dr Kgafela-Mokoka told Parliament that the two schools were earmarked for expansion of teachers’ accommodation, which was undertaken in Oodima during the 2017/2018 financial year while Madikwe has been deferred due to budgetary constraints. She further said the number of day students has increased at Molefi Senior Secondary School while the number of boarding students has diminished. This, she said, meant the boarding facilities at the school were not running at full capacity while the instruction space was at full operation. Dr Kgafela-Mokoka said this therefore called for expansion of learning facilities and a conversion of an existing junior secondary school into a unified school within the proximity of Mochudi. The minister said this would drop the enrolment of day students at Molefi and optimally use the existing boarding space.

She said her ministry was unable to provide timelines for unplanned projects and further explained that when funds were available, the tender would be floated for construction of eight classrooms including ablution facilities for boys and girls at Molefi. The minister said the completion of the facilities would result with the school admitting students from Oodima and Madikwe as boarders at Molefi. MP for Kgatleng East, Mr Mabuse Pule had asked the minister to confirm if she was aware of previous intent to convert Oodima and Madikwe Junior Schools into universal schools, allowing students to study from Form 1 to Form 5, in a bid to address lack of senior schools in Kgatleng. He also asked the minister to state the government’s plans to expedite the implementation of the plan and to provide clear timelines of when the schools would be upgraded and operational as universal schools. ENDS