By Seleoe Nonyane
Alliance Insurance this week handed over two classrooms to Kelebone Primary School which is located at Mphaki in Quthing district.
Established in 1956, the school has one classroom which also doubles up as a church. It has an enrolment of 73 pupils from Grade 1 to 6, and two teachers who teach two grades each.
In an interview with theReporter, the school’s principal, Toka Letsie, said teaching three grades simultaneously was quite challenging for them as teachers.
Letsie noted that it was even harder for him as he has to perform the responsibilities of a principal and a teacher at the same time.
He indicated that what was most worrisome was the condition of the classroom.
“The building would collapse every six months; it is still standing because it was rebuilt as recently as November 2023.
“The roofing was leaky and pupils would get drenched when it rained. This negatively affected both their performance and attendance.
“The roof would come off during windy days and the frequent fixing of the roofing harmed it,” Letsie said.
He said with the new classrooms, congestion will be a thing of the past as each teacher will now have their own classroom.
Letsie told this publication that classes end at Grade six because there are no facilities to cater for class 7; when pupils complete their Grade six, they move on to other schools to complete their primary education.
He expressed his gratitude to Alliance Insurance for the donation, adding he had given up on ever getting any assistance after unsuccessfully knocking on many doors.
Speaking at the same occasion, Alliance Insurance’s head of group marketing and corporate communications, ‘Makeabetsoe Mabaleha said the company functions with funds from investors and the public therefore, towards the end of every year they put 10 percent aside.
She explained that the money is put aside to give back to Basotho in line with the company’s motto which says “Always there for Basotho”.
Mabaeha said the handover of two classrooms to Kelebone Primary School demonstrates the company’s commitment to this principle.
She revealed that the insurance company got a letter two years ago – just as they receive loads of letters each year from establishments requesting help from the company.
“The letter indicated that there are two schools; Kelebone Primary School and St Magdalena Primary School that were in dire conditions.
“We then visited the schools to inspect their conditions and witnessed their plight first hand,” Mabaeha recounted.
She said the company approached the ministry of education and training to explore the feasibility of new classrooms. The ministry was sold on the idea and even provided the company with proper measurements.
Motivating the pupils, Mabaleha told them their circumstances should not necessarily determine their destination and future. She urged them to work hard in their studies, no matter the storms that they may come encounter in life.
