18 Nov 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi says government has commenced the process of developing a language policy in readiness for the introduction of other languages in schools. 

Delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday President Masisi said the establishment of the Botswana Teaching Council, which was aimed at professionalising teaching, was passed by the July 2019 Parliament meeting and  that preparations for its establishment were underway.

President Masisi  also indicated that government continued to implement the Inclusive Education Policy of 2011 to ensure access and equality in education, particularly for learners with special needs as supported by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

This, he said, had  resulted in an increase in the enrollment of learners with special needs from 5 349 in 2017 to 5 400 in 2018.

On Early Childhood Education (ECE), President Masisi said that ECE continued to expand its provision in public schools to improve learner readiness for school and lifelong learning. 

The overall object of the programme, he said, was to ensure learner readiness for Standard One. 

President Masisi said the number of public primary schools offering the yearlong reception class programme had increased from 122 in 2014 when the programme started, to 590 in April 2019.

 He said the increase in the number of schools offering reception classes translated to 78.1 per cent of public primary schools providing ECE.

He said the 590 public primary schools had an enrollment of 23 637 pupils as at April 2019. 

“This has increased the net enrollment of children in the early childhood programme from 17 per cent in 2014 to 39 per cent against a target of 80 per cent in 2019. 

The aim was to have all 755 public primary schools in the country offering the programme by 2022,” President Masisi said. 

“As I indicated in my inauguration speech on 1^st November, 2019, government continues to implement some critical reform programmes under the Education and Training Sector Strategy Plan (ETSSP) aimed at enhancing access and quality education in line with the local and global demands.” 

Central to the reforms, Dr Masisi said was the introduction of multiple pathways at senior secondary schools level, where pupils will pursue subjects of their interest and capability through the Outcome Based Education (OBE) programme.

Dr Masisi said the implementation of the programme was expected to commence in January 2021. 

So far, Dr Masisi said two secondary schools had been identified for the introduction of multiple pathways. 

He said Maun Senior Secondary School had been earmarked for tourism and hospitality while Moeng College would pilot Agriculture and Horticulture.  

Dr Masisi said other schools were being considered for the rollout of the pathways.

On transformation of Botswana Examinations Council (BEC), President Masisi said government was considering expanding the mandate of BEC to include Vocational Education Training (VET) assessments and align it to the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCQF). 

He said the objectives were to provide a strong assessment systems with data to facilitate teaching and learning, monitoring and certification of learners in general education and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the review of assessment programmes in order to align them to the NCQF. 

It will also accommodate the review and introduction of new qualifications that will meet the demands of the labour market.  

President Masisi said the Botswana Examinations Council Amendment Bill had been approved by Parliament.

Relating to scaling up access to Vocational Education and Training, in its endeavour to align the VET curriculum to modern technology and industry needs, President Masisi said government had started the review of three levels of curriculum according to the NCQF.

For the smooth transition and transfer of the examination function to BEC and in order for government to continue with the examination of artisans, Madirelo Training and Testing Centre (MTTC) is being accredited as an awarding body while the Construction Industry Trust Fund (CITF) has been accredited as an Education Training Provider (ETP) by the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA).

President Masisi also indicated that government had extended CITF services through the development of rapid skill centres across the country. 

The rapid skill centres at Tsau, Chadibe and Moreomaoto are operational, while the Thamaga centre has been completed, he said. 

Dr Masisi said plans were underway for the establishment of six more rapid skill centres at Sojwe, Khakhea, Phitshane-Molopo, Bokspits, Ncojane and Shakawe. 

He said stakeholders who included tribal leaders, civic leaders and land board authorities had already been consulted on the projects, adding that sites for the centres had been identified and dully allocated. Ends