05 May 2022

Government plans to outsource learning in some public schools in order for them to operate almost like private institutions, Vice President Slumber Tsogwane has announced.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with teachers’ representatives in Rakops Wednesday, he therefore encouraged teachers to position themselves to benefit from any changes in the country’s education system.

  Mr Tsogwane,  who is also Boteti West MP, said  professionals were critical stakeholders in the development of the country’s education system.

“You are critical stakeholders in the education system and therefore it is important that we meet with you, every now and then, to hear and appreciate challenges you are faced with in delivering work and any personal issues that you may want to raise with us,” he said.

The vice president said as teaching professionals, they were also a critical component in transforming the economy from resource-based to knowledge-based.

  Mr Tsogwane said government was doing all it could to achieve social justice and inclusivity with regard to distribution of resources to ensure that rural areas did not lag behind in development.

In addition, efforts were being made to empower rural area based employees, he said.

“We must all achieve inclusivity, but the starting point is that we should not forget how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the economy and it is very important to reflect on lessons learnt from this pandemic,” he said.

All was achievable through the Rural Development Policy and  national development planning, he said.

Mr Tsogwane applauded teachers for the commitment and dedication they continued to show in their work especially in the COVID-19 era.

The vice president expressed concern that despite government’s efforts to avail COVID-19 vaccines, some people had neither taken the first two shots nor the booster.

He encouraged those who had not yet vaccinated to do so.

Attendants included school heads, deputies and other seniors as well as Botswana Secondary Teachers Union and Botswana Teachers Union representatives.

Rakops’ Kgosi Diane Jacobs, Central District Council chairperson, Mr Ketshwereng Galeragwe, district commissioner, Ms Angelinah Leano and Boteti-Sub-district Council deputy chairperson, Mr Batsweletse Kgagamedi also attended the meeting.

 Prior to the teachers meeting, Mr Tsogwane had met with dikgosi, councillors and members of Village Development Committee, Village Extension Committee health and farmers’ committee representatives from Xere, Xhumo, Kedia and Toromoja. Ends