GABORONE - The education ministry has acknowledged the difficulties faced by some students due to unavailability of boarding facilities.

Some of the students, according to Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Keletso Rakhudu, travelled long distances to and from school while some stayed on rented accommodation.

However, the assistant minister said government was working towards addressing the problem At primary school level, the ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government have already established one or two teacher schools in some areas and the introduction of these schools had gone a long way towards reducing the distance children walk to school.

Mr Rakhudu stated that with regard to junior secondary schools, his ministry was currently upgrading some junior secondary schools countrywide and boarding facilities had been included for some schools, including Mahutagane Junior Secondary School in the Shoshong constituency.

He said due to financial constraints, the ministry was not able to cover all the targeted schools including Mahutagane.

The assistant ministyer was responding to a question by MP for Shoshong, Mr Phillip Makgalemele, who had asked the minister whether he was comfortable with the overall education environment with regard to long distances travelled by students to and from school and students who due to lack of boarding facilities had to rent and lose parental guidance and care at a youthful age. BOPA