26 Aug 2024

Regulating the teaching profession helps to promote the quality of educators and to ensure this, government has established the Botswana Teaching Professionals Council (BOTEPCO), through BOTEPCO Act, No. 22 of 2019, as a regulatory body for the teaching profession.

The establishment of a teaching professionals council is also consistent with the national aspirations of moving from a resource based to a knowledge based economy, as articulated in the National Human Resource Strategy.

Since commencing its mandate  last year April, BOTEPCO corporate affairs manager, Ms Mercy Thebe stated that the council’s main function was to regulate the teaching profession.

Besides regulatory mandate, she said BOTEPCO was also tasked to maintain professional and ethical standards for teachers, and that included; teaching knowledge, skills and competence, licensing and maintaining a register for teachers, advising on teacher training issues and advocating for the teaching profession.

The organisation also  establishes, publishes, reviews and maintains a Code of Ethics for teachers while at the same time monitors adherence to the Code of Ethics, reviews and advises on professional standards for teachers, determines the grounds for refusal or withdrawal of registration and where necessary, determines the criteria and procedures for registration as well as considers and decides on any application for registration.

Ms Thebe furthermore, said the council also promoted continuing education, training and professional development of teachers and established panels to investigate and hear complaints against teachers.

She said that the council was busy drafting all operational policies.

Prior to commencement of its operations, Ms Thebe said, “BOTEPCO developed a Stakeholder Engagement Plan to ensure the council has a structured and inclusive engagement approach committed to meeting the needs of its various stakeholders with focus on the teaching fraternity.”

During the year under review, she said the council participated in a wide array of engagements to share with stakeholders, its mandate and teacher registration and licensing plans.

These countrywide consultative engagement meetings were organised for the teaching fraternity, teacher representative trade unions and associations, media fraternity, local authorities, Ntlo Ya Dikgosi, as well as learners, parents and the community.

In carrying  out its mandate, she said BOTEPCO worked closely with partners  such as; Ministry of Education and Skills Development, relevant parastatals and various government departments.

Ms Thebe said the council was also expected to develop Registration and Licensing Requirements, Teaching Standards and a Code of Ethics for Teachers.

Subject to gazetting of the regulations, she said registration process would start, “which will tentatively be during the forth quarter of this current financial year.”

“It is worth noting that the regulations are currently with the Attorney General’s Chamber for drafting,” Ms Thebe added.

She encouraged all who fell within the teaching profession including tutors, to ready themselves to register, in accordance with the BOTEPCO Act, once registration and licensing commences.

Ms Thebe also cautioned that, as per the BOTEPCO Act No. 19 of 22 Part VII-27 (I), “a person who practices without a teaching license commits an offense and  is liable to a fine exceeding P5 000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.”

A person who practices with an expired teaching license, as per the act, Ms Thebe said “commits an offense and shall be liable to a fine not exceeding P1 000 and P20 per day for everyday the offense continues, for a period up to a maximum of 90 day.” ENDS