01 Aug 2022

Ministry of education, through the Department of Out of School Education and Training (DOSET) has made progress towards achieving universal primary education with most children enrolled in primary school.

Speaking during a donation of school supplies by WeLoveU Foundation in Gaborone recently, the Southern Region director, Mr Peter Choto said the Out of School Education for Children (OSEC) programme supported the goal of having each child at school and making sure that all children could read and have access to quality education.

He said they were breaking down the barriers to education by helping marginalised and vulnerable children access primary school services.

He further said their work was leading the way in improving literacy and numerical skills.

Mr Choto said some children were not in school because of challenges ranging from religious background to hardships while others struggled in school because of bullying and therefore, left school. 

Some it is because of sickness and school distance and Mr Choto said OSEC had given them an opportunity to acquire the basic skills and knowledge needed to thrive within society.

Principal adult education officer, Mr Kobe Thamage said Botswana’s literacy goal would be achieved by ensuring equitable access to quality early childhood education, primary and secondary schooling for all.

He said Botswana had made enormous progress towards attaining universal primary education for out of school children with 92.2 per cent of children enrolled in primary education.

“The South Region has 233 children enrolled in OSET,” he said, adding that the department  engaged out of school children, and that catered for children in different learning centres including churches and homes.

He pointed out that a safe place to study and learn provided learners with a sense of normalcy, routine and calm amid the chaos of bullying and other challenges.

Mr Thamage further said in the long term, good education also promoted peace as young people developed skills needed to build a life for themselves and prosperity for their communities without being negatively affected by their surroundings.

Furthermore, he said efforts would continue to reach the most poor and marginalised children in the country, to support them to learn the basic literacy and numeracy skills needed to survive the 21st century.

“We also provide support to young people access training in a skill or occupation so that they could get a job which provides for them to survive and offer vocational skills such as on health related issues and GBV,” he said.

Mr Thamage stated that education transformed children’s lives as it lead to better health and increased income opportunities, adding that without education, many would be trapped in a life of poverty and hardships.

WeLoveU Foundation donated school supplies that included 70 school bags, 140 exercise books, 70 colouring pencils, 70 crayons, 70 coloured pens, 70 pens, 70 sharpeners and erasers to OSET.

Coordinator of the foundation in Botswana, Mr Markus Kangumbe said they needed to ensure that OSEC children’s ambitions and dreams were realised and were honoured just like children in formal schools.

He said the school supplies would go a long way in assisting children and teachers to do their work.

He highlighted that WeLoveU Foundation carried out global charitable activities across the world in situations such as disasters, diseases and poverty to enable people to live in peace.

Mr Kangumbe said the foundation performed humanitarian services with ‘a heart of a mother’.

He said the foundation aimed to offer an inclusive, equitable and quality education to children, adolescents and young adults who were future leaders.

The foundation offers diverse aid programmes such as scholarships, construction and improvement of school facilities, and provision of school equipment and supplies. ENDS