19 Nov 2014

The Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr Unity Dow, says the learning field in government schools is level for every student.

Responding to a question on how learners from non-Tswana speaking areas coped with language in government schools, she said learning was leveled by the fact that there were two official languages in Botswana being Setswana and English.

She said these two languages provided a medium of communication in our public schools.

“Having realised that there is a challenge for learners who come from various non-Tswana speaking areas, their first year at school is designed to accord such learners an opportunity to experience the school environment and also to internalise Setswana language,” said the assistant minister.

Additionally, she said government had come up with interventions that assisted in further leveling the learning field like the introduction of teacher aids across the country, which were in the form of retired local teachers and Tirelo Sechaba participants.

She said in the Okavango Sub-district ,the ministry had engaged teacher aids at Sekondomboro, Shaikarawe, Nxamasere and Habu primary schools.

Dr Dow was responding to a question asked by Okavango MP Mr Bagalatia Arone on how the learning field is for learners from non-Tswana speaking areas and those from Tswana speaking areas in view of the fact that Setswana is used as a medium of instruction in public schools.  ENDS