IDM offers training to Tshegetsang Junior Secondary School

MOLEPOLOLE: Tshegetsang Junior Secondary School teachers and staff were yesterday (20th April 2021) recipients of the Institute of Development Management (IDM) Centre for Continued Professional Development program. The Centre offers short courses to learners to improve their careers in the workplace.

IDM in partnership with the Ministry of Basic Education Kweneng region hosted a one-day workshop for 72 school personnel, offering them a refresher training on aspects of Professional Communication and Customer Service. The training came in the form of a gesture by IDM to appreciate and motivate teachers and staff to support the school performance, which according to the School Head, Ms Matsime defied Covid19 challenges and improved their performance by 6% in 2020.

Speaking at the event, the Regional Director Operations, Steven Bothasitse said it is their aim to change the education complexion of the Kweneng region, which has a total of 120 schools. He said their biggest challenge is the high rate of dropouts as a result of societal ills and pressures leading to the increase in teenage pregnancies and reduced interest in education by young people.

He also highlighted the declining performance of the schools, most of which produce poor results and the need to address the problem. Mr Bothasitse said since he assumed the role in July 2020, his leadership team is on an intensive engagement drive to facilitate a performance turnaround in the region. Kweneng region has developed a robust strategy called #Operation Maduo and #Not with our learners for all stakeholders to join in and make a positive impact in the region’s effort to improve results.

For her part, IDM Country Director, Dr Onalenna Seitio-Kgokgwe said IDM found it important to energize the school teachers and personnel to help them improve their service delivery to their customers.

“As IDM we subscribe to the view that teachers are the most important segment of our society. Teachers have produced all sorts of professionals including teachers themselves. Teachers therefore deserve better in so far as their professional and personal development is concerned to enable them to continue to develop others,” she said.

IDM offered an exclusive mini-training package on Professional Communication, which is critical to the process of building one’s career. It begins with self-awareness, personal mastery, to creation of a personal brand and how to effectively influence others through the use of communication tools. The Customer Service aspect of training aimed at reminding one about the importance of a customer in every organization. “It is how you serve your customers that will define you as an entity,” she added.

When imparting a word of encouragement, IDM Regional Director Richard Malikongwa spoke about Making a Difference and Leaving a Mark, citing the importance of innovation, productivity, high performance traits, ingredients of success and the winners’ mindset.