14 Mar 2024

Government has been asked to improve the quality of education if it wants to achieve target of  turning Botswana into a knowledge-based economy.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Maun West, Mr Dumelang Saleshando made the advice on Tuesday when debating the 2024/25 financial year budget proposal for the Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology.

Mr Saleshando said education output in this country was a source of concern. He said the current education levels were not good.

“According to my understanding of things, knowledge-based economy requires you to have a very good quality education. Without good quality education, and we cannot talk about knowledge-based economy.

The recent examination results clearly indicate that our education is not performing well,” he said.

Therefore, Mr Saleshando said low education performance had the potential to scupper efforts of developing the country into a knowledge-based economy, asking government to focus on improving the quality of education.

The MP further called for improvements to the technology infrastructure in order to improve efficiency of service delivery, especially in government offices.

He also said improvement of internet connectivity was required for Botswana to successfully turn into a knowledge-based economy.

 “The internet connectivity for me is a problem,” he said.

Mr Saleshando wanted to know the total amount of money, as percentage of the GDP, used for research in this country.

However, Shoshong MP Mr Aubrey Lesaso, differed with Mr Saleshando about the quality of education. Mr Lesaso stated that the quality of education was good in this country.

“There is good quality education in this country.

University of Botswana is the sixth best university in Africa.

This shows the progress of education in Botswana.

We have the education which can take this country forward,” he said.

Mr Lesaso however shared the sentiments that there was need for improvement of ICT infrastructure in this country.

He commended the ministry for increasing funds for research and promising to support local innovation.

He called for the ministry to profile local innovators and help them find markets for their products.

In his debate of the budget, Gaborone North MP, Mr Mpho Balopi wanted to know when the ministry would start licensing of community radio stations.

 

Mr Balopi said community radio stations played an important role of transmitting information and different cultural practices.

He also asked about progress in addressing the constant crushing of the Government Accounting and Budgeting System (GABS).

He said the constant breakdowns of the systems affected the economy.

Boteti East MP Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe commended the ministry for committing to improve ICT infrastructure around the country, pointing out that mobile networks and radio connectivity outside major centres needed to be improved.

In response to MPs, Communications, Knowledge and Technology minister Mr Thulagano Segokgo maintained that the education system was of sufficient level.

Mr Segokgo also said the level of ICT in this country was generally good.

He said government services could be accessed by online in many places around the country.

He said the breakdowns of GABS system was caused by a hardware problem.

He said the problem was being addressed and was expected to be over soon.

Mr Segokgo said expenditure on research from government was currently at 0.54 per cent of the GDP. “We have however indicated that we want to increase our expenditure on research to being one percent of the GDP.

Our budget proposal shows that intention,” he said.

The budget proposal amounting to over P2.7 billion (P2 705 766 587) was passed by Parliament on Wednesday.  

The budget proposal included P977 321 140 estimates for the recurrent budget and P1 728 445 447 estimates for the development budget. ENDS