22 Feb 2022

The initiative intended to increase access and equity at tertiary institutions for the Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) as well as Rural Area Dwellers (RADs) is bearing fruit.
Tutume Sub-district chairperson, Mr Anthony Chebani told a council session recently that the special dispensation programme targeted OVCs and RAD students, who had scored below the set cut-off point for tertiary institutions.
In the programme, the students have five points deducted from the government set cut-off point to qualify for entry in consideration of their circumstances. Mr Chebani said for the 2021/2022 financial year, 46 needy and 14 students from RAD areas were enrolled in various institutions across the country through the programme.
He noted that the students were fully assisted by the S&CD office with applications and submission processes to ensure that they were monitored throughout the process.
He said the initiative was also aimed at ensuring that every Motswana child was given opportunity to access education irrespective of their geographical location or their family’s living standard.
The chairperson, thus, urged all stakeholders to unite in ensuring that the beneficiaries stake advantage of the programme for their own sake as well as that of their families and the country at large.
The affirmative action, which continues even after tertiary, has seen many assisted to get employment in government institutions such as Botswana Defence Force and Botswana Police Service. Meanwhile, the social welfare programme had 4 384 beneficiaries consisting of 1 576 permanent destitute persons, 194 temporary destitute persons, 1 259 orphans, 1 136 needy students and 79 community home-based care beneficiaries as well as 140 needy infants.
He lamented that those who graduated from the temporary destitute programme were few, which situation he attributed to high dependency syndrome. He therefore appealed to councillors to empower their constituents to be self-reliant. ENDS