16 Dec 2020

The Minister of Basic Education, Mr Fedelis Molao has declared all completing classes examinations a success.

Presenting a statement in Parliament, Minister Molao said the national examination timetables were adjusted to allow some extra time for completing students.

He said the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) were initially scheduled from October 05 but were moved to October 12.

He said the start of Junior Certificate Examination (JSE) which was scheduled for August 11, was moved to September 22, while Botswana General Certificate of Education (BGCSE) was moved from August 13 to September 01.

He said 46 067 learners sat for the PSLE showing an increase in the candidature of 3.1 per cent compared to 47 581 candidates in 2019. He added that 44 145 candidates sat for the Junior Certificate Examination (JCE) compared to 41 048 in 2019.

About 32 638 students sat for Botswana General Certificate of Education (BGCSE) in 2020 compared to 36 508 in 2019, a slight increase of 0.36 per cent.

Mr Molao stated that arrangements were made ahead of the examination period to ensure that candidates did not miss examinations on account of COVID-19 challenges.

He said some 238 candidates wrote examinations while under quarantine, with 83 of them being PSLE,    220 were JCE while 83 were BGCSE. 

The minister indicated that the arrangement was not new as some candidates had in the past written examinations whilst hospitalised but considered fit.

He thus expressed appreciation of  the work carried out by both the teaching and non-teaching staff in ensuring that teaching and examinations were a success during the trying the times.

He said Botswana Examination Council has decentralised the marking of examination due to the zoning of Botswana in response to the COVID-19 protocols.

The marking exercise, he said has been distributed in 13 centres across the country.ENDS