10 Feb 2015

A total of 55 468 learners have enrolled through the Back-to-School initiative since its inception in 2012.

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr Unity Dow, informed Parliament that the majority of these learners were not enrolled with BOCODOL and as such they did not fall under their supervision because 24 703 of those leaners were enrolled for general education, 10 909 enrolled under Artisan and Technical Programmes while 19 856 enrolled into tertiary education programmes.

She said  the first group of Junior Secondary School learners from the Back to School programme consisted of 1495 candidates where 56 obtained credits and 277 obtained grade D and the remaining 962 got E and U.

Dr Dow noted that many of the leaners who were repeating general education programmes such as junior secondary and senior secondary were enrolled with BOCODOL and were following programmes which are designed for distance Learning.

MP for Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane had asked the Minister to state the number of students enrolled under the Back to School programme and had also asked if the Ministry is aware that in most cases the back to school students are not under full supervision from Botswana College of Open and Distance Learning (BOCODOL). ENDS