15 Sep 2019

The Minister of Basic Education, Mr Bagalatia Arone has praised primary school teachers for their commitment to work and the excellent job they do.

Addressing Nxamasere primary school teachers recently, Mr Arone encouraged teachers and the school leadership to work as a team.

The minister said government was committed to improving the welfare and conditions of service for public service employees, noting that the ministry had proposed a fixed professional allowance for teachers to address the issue of overtime allowance that was not currently paid to teachers.

Mr Arone also noted that government intended to lower the student-teacher ratio in rural communities for improved results.

Still as a way of improving the education system in Botswana, the basic education minister said government also planned to cut the number of subjects taught at primary schools from nine to four. Furthermore, Minister Arone told Nxamasere teachers that government also intended to introduce a renewable teaching licence, stressing that ‘for a teacher to practice, he or she will be required to possess that teaching licence’. 

On the issue of delayed supply and delivery of food rations in primary schools across the country, he said dual management was a challenge because feeding fell under local government.

He was of the view that the whole education system should be administered under one ministry to avoid such challenges such as delayed supply and delivery of food rations in schools.

For her part, Nxamasere Primary School Head, Ms Olebogeng Mhaladi commended government for provision of breakfast at primary schools, noting that the initiative motivated children to attend school every day and on time.

As for the school academic performance, Ms Mhaladi said this year they were targeting an 80 per cent pass rate, revealing that the school had introduced termly awards for the best performing teachers as a way of motivating them.

She said the school faced challenges such as shortage of text books and water, hence the decline in performance last year, as Nxamasere experienced the longest dry period forcing the school to release pupils from school early.

Meanwhile, Nxamasere Primary School teachers complained about the dilapidated staff houses, which they said were long overdue for maintenance.

They were also aggrieved by the issue of overtime allowance, which they said they were entitled to, just like other government employees.  Teachers also complained about the travel concession, which they said they had not been paid for a long time. ENDS