Other Events
BCA REMEMBERS THE LESS PRIVILEGED
The Student Representative Council (SRC) conducted a charity day activities on the 9th of February 2008 under the theme "Walk and Play for the Underprevilleged". Activities of the day included the Sponsored walk, Soccer Tournament, Mr & Miss BCA and the Fashion show. The purpose is to raise funds for charity.
BCA donates computers
BCA Community Charity Outreach (BCCO)
The College Donates Computers to Boitumelo Primary School
The Botswana College of Agriculture has donated three computers to Boitumelo Primary School in Sebele. The computers were handed over to the school head Ms Nancy Dibeela by the Principal Mr Edward Kemsley. Handing over the computers Mr Kemsley expressed the hope that the computers would go a long way in helping teachers prepare for lessons. He said although second hand, they were still in good condition. He said the College donated the computers to Boitumelo Primary as the school caters for BCA employee’s children. He encouraged the pupils to study hard to ensure a brighter tomorrow. He told them that the benefits of being educated were enormous. He said the College will try to help the school as much as possible.
Earlier when welcoming the guests the school head Ms Dibeela thanked the College for the computers. She recalled that the College donated four computers to the school in 2004. She said at the end of that year the school produced good results, registering 80% pass in standard seven results. She however said the results dropped to 69% in 2005 but improved again last year to 78%.
She said the fluctuating results were dues to several reasons some of which are that parents do not want to take an active role in the education of their children. She said most parents don’t turn up for open days to see their children’s work and said turn up was even lower at Parents Teachers meetings. She sad this made their job as teachers very difficult because productive education was a joint venture between them and parents.
Earlier when welcoming the guests the school head Ms Dibeela thanked the College for the computers. She recalled that the College donated four computers to the school in 2004. She said at the end of that year the school produced good results, registering 80% pass in standard seven results. She however said the results dropped to 69% in 2005 but improved again last year to 78%.
She said the fluctuating results were dues to several reasons some of which are that parents do not want to take an active role in the education of their children. She said most parents don’t turn up for open days to see their children’s work and said turn up was even lower at Parents Teachers meetings. She sad this made their job as teachers very difficult because productive education was a joint venture between them and parents.
She said in some families they party all night without due regard to the fact that the all night music disturbs the children’s learning as they are unable to do their homework. She sometimes even the child tried to do homework they lack parental guide as the parents would be busy partying.
She said another problem was the non payment of school fees and implored Mr Kemsley to encourage parents employed by BCA to pay school fees on time and play an active role in the education of their children.
Another problems identified by Ms Dibeela was that some students, especially those from Kgaphamadi, Molongwane and Phakalane walked long to distances to school every morning and arrived as late as nine in the morning. She said the problem was compounded by the fact that some stop at a dumping site on the way to school to look for something to eat. She said the problem was a real concern to the school.
Giving a vote of thanks, a teacher at the school Ms Molebatsi thanked the College for the donation and said it would help the teachers in learning more about computers. She said there were looking forward for more help in other areas from the College. The Principal was accompanied by the Dean of Faculty of Agriculture Dr Ricks Chabo
BCA Community Charity Outreach (BCCO)
On 14 December 2006, the BCA Community Charity Outreach (BCCO) handed over donations worth over P3000.00 to the less privileged members of the Kgaphamadi settlement in the in the Kweneng District.
The elderly were amongst those who received presents.The donations, which were kindly donated by members of the BCA community, included clothing, food, toiletry and bedding. The College donated pillows and pillow cases, sheets and bed covers.
The beneficiaries were the elderly, and/ or people with a disability, and orphaned children. The chief and VDC secretary were very helpful in identification of the beneficiaries and coordination of meetings at the settlement. In total, 17 families were assisted with clothing, a food hamper containing mealie meal, sugar, tea and milk, and a toiletry hamper with toothpaste, toothbrush, washing powder and bathing soap. The children were also given biscuits.
BCCO currently has nine members; seven staff and two students. Its vision is based on one of the pillars of Botswana’s Vision 2016; A Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation.
Its mission is to help the less privileged in any way possible and the main objectives are to encourage the BCA community to be compassionate and caring and to identify and assist those in need.
Some of the BCCO members with some of the beneficiaries
BCA DONATES BOOKS
The College donated 140 books worth P15 337 to the Mahalapye Rural Training Centre. The Books were handed over by the Principal Mr Edward Kemsley to Mr Zenzo Ncube and Mrs Phatsimo Gosalamang, both Instructors at the Centre. The books, which covered a wide range of titles in Agriculture, were part of duplicates formerly used by the College as lecturers’ copies.
Handing over the books Mr Kemsley expressed the hope that the books will be utilized by the students and help the lecturers to prepare for the lessons. He said the College was happy to be of help to former students of the College to advance the teaching of agriculture. He said the College found it necessary to help the Mahalapye Rural Training Centre because they were in the same field and the books would be of relevance to the instructors in preparing their lessons.
For her part Mrs Gosalamang said they are grateful for the donation because it would help them set up a library that could be used by both instructors and learners. She thanked the College and urged it to always remember the Centre if they have more books.
Present at the hand over was the Librarian Ms Lesego Ramore and some of her staff.
Instructors at the Mahalapye brigade has written to the College requesting for used books to help them set up a library.
