10 Jul 2019

-  Parliament has learnt that at least 218 568 students out of a total of 550 970 who sat for their Junior Certificate examinations from 2005 to date have failed to proceed to BGCSE.

The  Assistant Minister of Basic Education, Mr Thato Kwerepe, told Parliament that although not all junior secondary students progress to senior secondary, many further their studies at vocational education, distance learning and various technical training to become productive members of society.

He further noted that the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology sponsors an average of 6 300 students per year to proceed or 88 200 students out of the 332 402 who completed BGCSE since 2005 to date.

“My ministry has not undertaken any tracer studies to assess the absolute numbers of students who proceed to tertiary institutions and cannot provide an accurate figure,” said Mr Kwerepe.

However, the assistant minister said the number of those who proceeded to tertiary education varied from the number who access government sponsorship.

He said others augment their studies and enroll in tertiary institutions later in life.

Francistown West MP, Mr Ignitious Moswaane had wanted to know  the number of students who proceeded to BGCSE from JC. 

Mr Moswaane also asked  the minister to state the number of students who had proceeded to tertiary institutions since 2005 to date. ENDS