24 Jul 2019

Bonnington South MP, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe has applauded government for its efforts in professionalising and augmenting Botswana Examinations Council (BEC).

He commended the Minister of Basic Education for his presentation  of the BEC Amendment Bill 2019 (Bill No.14 of 2019), which sought to transform BEC into a National Assessment Body, saying augmenting the council, would capacitate it to improve its capabilities to pursue its mandate.

However, Mr Gaolathe indicated that the Amendment Bill should not only introduce membership to the council board based on skills complement, saying it was not clear whether the skill complement was based on a collective complement or on an individual basis. 

Mr Gaolathe said it was important to look at the complement as a constituency in terms of stakeholders to ensure representation of parents and businesses as well as teachers. 

He said ‘all these sectors have an interest on how young people or students are examined, and the bill should extend beyond the expertise where all stakeholders should have a part to play in the process’.

In addition, he said the issue of alignment should be considered, given that the bill sought to introduce capacity, competence, expertise and fairness. 

He said in any governance system, there should be checks and balances in order to have excellence, competence and compliance. 

Further, he suggested that there should be a system ‘like in Botswana’s case a Parliamentary Committee, where the minister’s choices are put to test’.

Also contributing to the bill was Selebi Phikwe East MP,  Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, who likewise, commended the minister saying, he hoped the advent of BEC board would address the relationship between BEC as an institution with teachers, and trade unions with regard to payments and other conditions of services.

He said year in and year out these issues surfaced anew, therefore, he appealed that the issues should be addressed.

Mr Keorapetse also indicated that the Amendment of Section 4 of the Act was a good development in the sense that it would cut the huge structures on boards saying that a small membership board would be efficient and effective. 

However, Mr he  said government should desist from rotating the same people for membership of boards.

Gabane/Mmankgodi legislator, Major General Pius Mokgware, expressed concern with the structural boards in Botswana saying BEC board members should have people with certain qualifications, integrity and expertise. 

He said the board would build  a competent and skilled human resource.

Further, Major General Mokgware hoped  that the board would put an end to the ‘dissatisfaction from examiners’ which often lead due to uncertainty of payments and ultimately disrupt examinations. 

He said the board should determine payments. ENDS