12 Feb 2015

The Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr  Unity Dow, is not aware that students have to travel to Gaborone to collect certificates from Botswana Examination Council (BEC).

She told Parliament that the certificate collection policy was that certificates were dispatched for collection at schools where the students wrote their examinations. She said they were kept at the schools for two years after which if they still remained uncollected weere returned to BEC for archiving.

Dr Dow said certificates were available for collection from BEC after the two-year period. She stated that in the case of private candidates, a public notice was placed in the Gazette on the date and venue of certificate distribution.

She said all uncollected certificates are then returned to BEC for archiving and possible collection.

The assistant minister conceded that the certificate collection policy could result in students having to travel to Gaborone but the ministry advised that this could be avoided and urged all candidates to collect their certificates within two years and/ or at collection points as the case may be.

MP for Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane, had asked the minister if she is aware that students and former students had to travel to Gaborone to collect their certificates from BEC.

He also asked about plans to reduce the unnecessary cost spent by the unemployed youth who have to frequently come to Gaborone to collect their certificates.

Mr Moswaane further asked if it would not be better to keep the certificates of respective schools or regional offices and charge them with the responsibility to facilitate that the certificates be taken to where the client is. ENDS