A very touching story indeed with a good moral lesson. But when all is said & done no one who has been a student in Botswana or worked as a teacher or anywhere else in Bots will believe a word that has been written. I wonder how many people, charity organisations or even sympathisers have been ripped off after hearing a story of such nature and believing it without first doing a thourough research to find out if indeed what is being said is true?
I have been a student in Bots for more than 12years and I trained as a teacher in the University of Botswana for one full year. During my time as a teacher trainee I have been to several schools in & around Gaborone conducting research. I have been to several Schools around the Old Naledi area & I have never seen a situation presented above. This article left me wondering, which school is the writer talking about? To all those who read this article & dont have the slightest idea of the educational situation in Botswana let me brief you on something: If a student is poor he/she gets free stationery & school uniform curtesy of the Government. In government aided schools, Text books are given out free of charge to each & every student irrespective of their economic background. So a strory that goes out of its way to say that there was one pencil & one text book for a class of students holds very little truth in it. Moreover, students do not go to school putting on clothes in Bots. They put on school uniform for Christ's sake! So I dont believe that they was ever a student who was seen putting on the "...same clothes everyday" This article is not only misleading but a disgrace to the people and government of Botswana who throughout history have been making efforts to make sure that each and every student's financial needs are met.
I understand how passionatepeople are about helping others & we all appreciate the effort.It is a good thing that students everywhere around the world shall read this story and relate to it and maybe, thats maybe try to help those who are in need. But next time before we seat down and write an article like this lets sit down and do some research then ask ourselves, :"Is this information reliable?"
No intelligent Mostwana would deny that severe poverty exists in Botswana. Of course there are people who live under dire conditions in our nation, as in many other nations. The education itself in Botswana is generally of a high calibre, as I am also a beneficiary of it, even if it is under less luxurious conditions as those in some other nations of the world.
However, where those middle school children were posted is not a reflection of the poverty they wanted to encounter, hence, I feel that their feedback was exagerrated and therefore, disrespectful. Old Naledi is in Gaborone, and no doubt there is more than one textbook per classroom there.
The comment about pencils deserves only a comment that it is not true.
Indeed there are areas where more supplies, faciities, and clothes are in need. Nonetheless, activities that aim to raise the required materials should be done with honest judgement and understanding of the conditions that currently exist. It is great to see someone trying to do good, but good acts should be directed by honest and well guided intentions.
I will go and visit this school myself when I go home in December, and give an objective report on it. This is not an attempt to derail the fundraising initiative; it is an attempt to encourage those who want to do good for others to actually seek the facts first, and avoid smearing the image or development of other people and places.
Clark students beat drum for cohorts in Botswana
A very touching story indeed with a good moral lesson. But when all is said & done no one who has been a student in Botswana or worked as a teacher or anywhere else in Bots will believe a word that has been written. I wonder how many people, charity organisations or even sympathisers have been ripped off after hearing a story of such nature and believing it without first doing a thourough research to find out if indeed what is being said is true?
I have been a student in Bots for more than 12years and I trained as a teacher in the University of Botswana for one full year. During my time as a teacher trainee I have been to several schools in & around Gaborone conducting research. I have been to several Schools around the Old Naledi area & I have never seen a situation presented above. This article left me wondering, which school is the writer talking about? To all those who read this article & dont have the slightest idea of the educational situation in Botswana let me brief you on something: If a student is poor he/she gets free stationery & school uniform curtesy of the Government. In government aided schools, Text books are given out free of charge to each & every student irrespective of their economic background. So a strory that goes out of its way to say that there was one pencil & one text book for a class of students holds very little truth in it. Moreover, students do not go to school putting on clothes in Bots. They put on school uniform for Christ's sake! So I dont believe that they was ever a student who was seen putting on the "...same clothes everyday" This article is not only misleading but a disgrace to the people and government of Botswana who throughout history have been making efforts to make sure that each and every student's financial needs are met.
I understand how passionatepeople are about helping others & we all appreciate the effort.It is a good thing that students everywhere around the world shall read this story and relate to it and maybe, thats maybe try to help those who are in need. But next time before we seat down and write an article like this lets sit down and do some research then ask ourselves, :"Is this information reliable?"
September 19, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Clark students beat drum for cohorts in Botswana
No intelligent Mostwana would deny that severe poverty exists in Botswana. Of course there are people who live under dire conditions in our nation, as in many other nations. The education itself in Botswana is generally of a high calibre, as I am also a beneficiary of it, even if it is under less luxurious conditions as those in some other nations of the world.
However, where those middle school children were posted is not a reflection of the poverty they wanted to encounter, hence, I feel that their feedback was exagerrated and therefore, disrespectful. Old Naledi is in Gaborone, and no doubt there is more than one textbook per classroom there.
The comment about pencils deserves only a comment that it is not true.
Indeed there are areas where more supplies, faciities, and clothes are in need. Nonetheless, activities that aim to raise the required materials should be done with honest judgement and understanding of the conditions that currently exist. It is great to see someone trying to do good, but good acts should be directed by honest and well guided intentions.
I will go and visit this school myself when I go home in December, and give an objective report on it. This is not an attempt to derail the fundraising initiative; it is an attempt to encourage those who want to do good for others to actually seek the facts first, and avoid smearing the image or development of other people and places.
September 19, 2008 at 11:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )