12 Oct 2017

President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama says strategic split of the then Ministry of Education and Skills Development into three ministries was intended to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.

The decision to rearrange and create new ministries in 2016 saw the Ministry of Education and Skills Development being divided into three ministries namely: Ministry of Basic Education; Ministry of Tertiary Education,

Research, Science and Technology as well as that of Labour Productivity and Skills Development

President Khama made the remarks yesterday during the official opening of Kanye Education Centre where among others, Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and other high ranking officials graced the event.

“This re-arrangement was designed to align functions of departments and parastatals to be relevant to the ministry’s mandate so as to enhance efficiency and effectiveness,” he said.

To this end, the President expressed hope that the separation continued to assist the Ministry of Basic Education (MOBE) in pursuance of their responsibility and contribution towards a knowledge based society.

He stated therefore that with the right resources such as Kanye Education Centre and a positive attitude towards capacitating teachers, the prospects of a knowledge based Botswana could be achieved.

President Khama stated that it was for this reason that government had taken a deliberate stance to invest heavily in the education sector as evidenced by continued allocation of a large share of the country’s budget to the sector.

“For the 2016/17 financial year, the recurrent and development budget combined amounted to P7.6 billion.

The significance of education among our priorities can therefore not be overly emphasised,” he said.

President Khama was particularly happy with the approval of the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP) by Cabinet in 2015, which he said put more emphasis on outcome based curriculum and the need to recognise multiple pathways for leaners within the education system.

Giving an overview of the facility, Minister of Basic Education, Dr Unity Dow said the idea of the centre came about after the realisation that Lobatse College of Education was not sufficient to offer in-service training programmes.

“Kanye was thus chosen as an ideal spot as it was centrally located to the five sub regions of Lobatse, Good Hope, Moshupa, Jwaneng and Mabutsane,” she said.

Dr Dow said however that unlike other already existing education centres in places such as Maun, Kasane, Ghanzi and Tloweng which were donor funded, the Kanye facility was fully funded by government of Botswana.

“This was a unique and tremendous milestone because it was moving away from the earlier models both in terms of funding and facilities found in other centres such as gym, training and music rooms and many others,” she said.

In line with government’s wish to share available resources, Dr Dow said further that the centre served and catered for various ministries and departments as well as other entities locally.

For his part, Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security and Member of Parliament for Kanye North, Mr Patrick Ralotsia vowed to rally behind all government’s efforts to turn around the education sector.

“As Kanye North, we have a comprehensive and well thought-out plan to achieve this and make our constituency a model to be replicated,” he said.

Mr Ralotsia singled out Emang Junior Secondary School in Ntlhantlhe as being orderly, neat and with zero vandalism; something he attributed to the teachers’ resolve to look after the facility. BOPA