Corpun file 20056

Mmegi/The Reporter, Gaborone, 20 February 2008

Kgosi, President Admonish Wayward Students

By Tumelo Setshogo

Bakgatla Regent, Kgosi Mothibe Linchwe says he is available to help bring to order Moeding College students, who were sent home last week.

"What needs to be done is to bring some canes to bring these boys to order. Nothing else," said Linchwe.

He made the undertaking on Monday at a Kgotla farewell meeting for President Festus Mogae.

"Moretlwa is the only solution to these problems," said a worried Mothibe. Last week, male students of Moeding were sent home after they assaulted and ill-treated Form Four boys.

The school administration said they decided on that action when the students failed to expose the culprits.

Form Five boys staying in the school hostels are believed to have poured waste water on the blankets of the Form Four boys, forcing them to sleep on the floor.

One student reported that the bullies cut his pubic hair and burnt it, forcing Form Four classmates to smell it.

"Schools are breeding nuisance boys who are assaulting others," complained Linchwe, adding that he blamed parents who seem relaxed about these issues.

He told the packed Bakgatla Kgotla that these days' students take drugs and other illegal substances to get drunk. "They take these things from these people around here before us," said Linchwe pointing at the crowd.

The Bakgatla regent complained that parents do not do enough to help teachers and the government to control the behaviour of the students. "We pay tax every month so that these children can go to school. Instead they are misbehaving," he charged.

In his response to Linchwe's call, Mogae said the United Nations (UN) is to be blamed for the unbecoming behaviour of our children "because they say beating a child is torture".

Mogae lashed out at UN member states, especially Britain, saying they used to apply corporal punishment which they now oppose.

"They used to tie people in chains. After they have developed they want us to follow suit automatically," said Mogae. He said in Botswana, they are applying the method not to torture children but to instill discipline.

Mogae also blamed parents who are very quick to defend their children whenever they have done wrong. He said parents should help the school authorities to arrest any indiscipline in schools.

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