04 Aug 2019

Minister of Basic Education, Mr Bagalatia Arone has told Parliament that at least 11 930 teachers are housed  in  institutional houses with some on sharing basis.

He said currently there were 3 747  teachers who were not accommodated in institutional houses. He noted that some declined institutional housing in preference of their own accommodation.

Furthermore, Mr Arone added that there were 93 residential houses planned for procurement from Botswana Housing Corporation and 46 planned for construction in the 2019/20 financial year.

He noted that they were expecting the handover of 78 institutional houses from the ongoing ESP projects.

He said the ministry would be guided by the outcome of negotiations between the employer DPSM and trade unions since it was a bargaining issue.

He also said the ministry was exploring alternative ways to provide accommodation for teachers, including the use of public, private partnerships and the leasing of houses.

Gaborone North MP, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa had asked the minister how many secondary school teachers were currently housed by government, and to further state the number of those without accommodation as well as how many accommodation facilities were planned for this financial year. 

Mr Nkaigwa had further asked the minister if there were any plans to introduce housing allowance for teachers who were not accommodated, and if government would consider leasing houses for teachers from private owners as was the case with other cadres. ENDS