05 Mar 2018

Minister of Basic Education, Dr Unity Dow recently tabled her ministry’s budget proposal for the 2018/19 financial year amounting to P9.1 billion.

The budget proposals included P8 billion recurrent expenditure and P1.1billion development estimates.

Dr Dow explained that more than P5.7 billion from the recurrent expenditure would be spent on personnel emoluments while P1.9 billion would cater for general operational expenses for the ministry departments, regional offices, running of schools and feeding and procurement of books for students.

She added that the Botswana Examinations Council would be given a subvention of P226 million.

The minister further said P60 million from the development budget would be allocated for construction of a centre for severe and multiple disability in Maun to cater for learners with profound disability with a view to improving access for students with special needs.

She added that P200 million from the development budget would fund the ongoing expansion of five junior secondary schools under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).

The five schools are Tshwaragano, Tsodilo, Maunatlala, Mphuthe and Selolwe junior secondary schools.

Dr Dow said a further P300 million was requested for completion of ongoing construction of 357 staff houses in 13 junior secondary schools under ESP, while P330 million was proposed for maintenance of 52 junior secondary schools across the country.

Giving Parliament an update on major activities of her ministry, Dr Dow pointed that they had intensified Early Childhood Care and Education with the number of primary schools offering pre-school having increased in 2018 to 571, out of 755 primary schools. She said the number was 472 last year.

“The initiative was started in 2013 and has continued improving children’s readiness for school and reducing learner drop-out rates, thus improving access and retention as well as equity during the early years of learning. The remaining 213 schools will be considered for introduction of the programme during the remaining years of NDP 11,” she said.

She further said the number of learners with special needs that were being catered for in special units, which cater for learners with visual and hearing impairments, and intellectual disabilities, had increased to 2 194 in 2017 from 1 718 in 2015.

She added that the ministry had prioritised expansion and maintenance of educational facilities in order to provide a conducive environment for learning.

Contributing to the debate on the budget proposal, MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi expressed his support for the budget.

He said he was happy that the Ministry of Basic Education was allocated a large portion of funds from the state budget.

However, he expressed concern over the declining transition rate of students from primary to senior secondary schools.

The Alliance for Progressives legislator further said he was concerned by the students’ performance in government schools.

“There has never been a year where we recorded an increase,” he said, explaining that the declining performance was exacerbated by low morale of teaches due to what he called bad working relations with the employer.

The legislator also said shortage of teaching and learning materials in schools was contributing to the low performance.

He further said the high students – teacher ratio was killing the performance of learners.

Another legislator who raised a concern about the students’ performance was the Selebi Phikwe East legislator, Mr Nonofo Molefhi.

He attributed that to an increase in enrolment of learners in government schools, which has added a burden on scarce resources.

He therefore said the solution would be for parents with the means to be encouraged to assist in the funding of their children’s education.

MP for Gaborone South, Mr Kagiso Molatlhegi urged the ministry to cease having Setswana language as one of the core subjects in the school curriculum because marks obtained in Setswana were not relevant when students sought enrolment for a lot of courses at tertiary education level.

Good Hope / Mabule MP, Kgosi Lotlamoreng II said the ministry should take measures to curb the uncontrollable behaviour of students at Good Hope Senior Secondary School.

He further asked for the construction of school hostels in Pitsane and Hebron to cater for students coming from the catchment area. ENDS