SU seeks unlimited access to schools to restore discipline
Scripture Union (SU) Botswana strongly believes that for them to effectively impact schools, their counsellors should be allowed unlimited contact time with their clients - students.
During a stakeholder meeting, SU Director Michael Legodi said when they are dealing with issues affecting students in schools they often come across sensitive matters that need urgent attention and constant contact.
He told stakeholders that the greatest barrier to their work in schools is that there is no continuity as students change shifts, which are not communicated to counsellors.
“There is need for sustainability in our programmes in schools in order to transform the children and impact their lives positively,” Legodi said.
His worry is that they deal with sensitive issues including an ongoing case that involves a student at a secondary school in Ramotswa where she was raped by her stepfather and had to be removed from the home for her safety.
It later emerged that after being relocated, her siblings also experienced the same ordeal at the hands of their father, and currently the wheels of justice are grinding slow to ensure that the perpetrator is brought to book. In such cases, Legodi emphasises that it is important for them to keep constant contact with the child through counselling for longer periods of time until the matter is resolved, and the child has healed. However, this is almost always impossible. “Even in cases where children need to be rehabilitated, we do not manage to take them through the process until completion owing to the limited contact time.”
According to Legodi, SU was operating in schools through the Special Support Department under Guidance and Counselling, however this is not enough and they propose that they be given clear and unlimited access into schools for their work to be more effective and impactful.
Legodi said the work of SU is evident and known not only in Botswana but the world over. The organisation has worked with secondary schools including Artesia, Naledi, Ledumang, Bonnington, Macha, Shoshong, Maun and Lempu supporting them with psychosocial and spiritual support, as well as in issues of indiscipline, and the results have been positive, with some schools not only improving students’ discipline but also academically. SU Botswana is mostly concerned with character building and development of youth in schools. Legodi’s headache is that while they make positive impact in schools, their efforts are reversed by programmes such as Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) where children are taught opposing knowledge to SU. “While SU is a non-denominational movement, meaning it is not about a specific church, its programmes are based on Biblical principles,” he said.
He explained that while they promote no sex outside marriage, CSE for example, would promote condom use. “Children as young as nine are taught about condom use,” he said, adding that they are determined to find a solution to this challenge.
Legodi added that their mandate is to preach the gospel and remain true to the word of God, and they will continue to do that because the word of God has proven to change lives - something that goes a long way in ensuring that children are raised in good environments that support their growth into responsible adults.
SU is currently working with the Ministry to formulate a Memorandum of Understanding that will stipulate the parameters of their relationship. The Ministry has a Pastoral Policy in place designed to deal with indiscipline and psychosocial issues in schools.