13 Feb 2017

 For many years research has been done in isolation by different tertiary institutions and was not properly coordinated.
Department of Educational Planning and Research Services director, Sir Wonder Masebola said now is the time to collaborate and listen to reviews from stakeholders to figure out different ways of doing things.
Mr Masebola, whose department falls under the Ministry of Basic Education, said this at the stakeholder meeting recently, adding that it was time to reform, reshape, refocus thinking through research and action research.
“We are aware that it has not been clear about who should fund the research. National Development Plan 11 has now laid down the research funding model about what needs to be done in terms of funding,” he said.
He further said Vision 2036 emphasised research as one of the pillars and that it should be seen to it that research is entrenched right from the lower level up to the higher levels of education.
“Currently we are coming up with the research and innovation framework, which will inform our policies and programmes as to the best way forward,’’ he said.
Mr Masebola said it was high time research gets recognised for informing decision making as it had the potential to show what went wrong, what can be done, and what has been overtaken by events.
When welcoming guests, Gaborone Secondary School head, Ms Lesedi Kalane said the meeting came at na opportune time when the country was experiencing declining results in schools.
“I want to believe that through research and planning, as they were the hallmarks of education, we will be able to come up with possible solutions to the challenges,” she said.
She noted that the workshop had come early enough in the year to enable educators to capture certain issues surrounding education and academic results, thereby assist in optimising academic achievement of individual student. ENDS