12 Feb 2026

For many young Batswana, completing the Junior Certificate was meant to be a key milestone and a path to senior secondary education. Instead, for some, it became a moment filled with uncertainty, a crossroads where dreams pause, opportunities narrow and the future feels uncertain.

While some young people leave school hopeful yet uncertain, others are forced to exit due to financial, family or personal challenges. Gradually time slips by, and many quietly fall out of the education system, carrying unrealised ambitions and unanswered questions.

It is for these young people that Project Bula Buka was launched in Gaborone this week, offering more than just a programme, but a renewed sense of possibility. Targeting JC leavers from 2019 to 2025, the initiative is designed to provide structured second-chance opportunities in education, skills development and pathways into employment.

Speaking at the official launch, the Minister of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Ms Nono Kgafela-Mokoka described the project as a promise to young people who may have felt left behind.
 

Phase one will focus on identifying and enrolling eligible JC leavers and linking them to tailor made training and vocations that align with labour market needs.

Ms Kgafela-Mokoka explained that many beneficiaries had already been profiled, with more to follow, ensuring that participants received career guidance, life-skills training and support services aimed at building confidence and long-term self-reliance.

At the heart of Project Bula Buka is a recognition that learning is not one-size-fits-all. While some learners thrive in traditional classrooms, others are more practically inclined or need alternative routes to rediscover their strengths. The programme is therefore built on three pillars: skills development, multiple learning pathways and multiple certification options creating flexible routes back into learning and work.

With a strong Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) focus, the initiative also seeks to prepare young people for a rapidly changing job market, where adaptability and practical skills are increasingly valued.

For those who have spent years outside structured learning, this support could be life-changing, offering a bridge from prolonged unemployment to meaningful participation in the economy, entrepreneurship or further education.

However, Ms Kgafela-Mokoka emphasised that the success of the programme depended on partnership. Government, she said was working alongside employers, training institutions and community stakeholders to create opportunities for internships, mentorship and smoother transitions into existing empowerment initiatives.

Accessibility has also been prioritised and registration will be available both online and manually, with innovative partnerships allowing young people to register at selected Choppies Botswana stores, JB Stores and fuel stations, including in remote areas such as Hukuntsi and Charleshill.

The minister said special outreach efforts were targeting hard-to-reach communities, including the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve (CKGR), Seronga, Gudigwa, Jao Flats, Ditshiping and New Xade areas where distance and limited connectivity have often excluded young people from national programmes. A toll-free helpline is also being established to provide guidance and respond to queries.

Project Bula Buka forms part of Botswana’s broader Education Continuum Model under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), which aims to develop innovative, future-ready human capital. But beyond policy frameworks, the initiative reflects a deeply rooted Setswana value tshwaragano or the spirit of working together.

“It acknowledges that young people who fall outside formal systems are not statistics, but our sons and daughters, neighbours and future leaders. By creating structured second-chance opportunities, the programme aims to restore confidence, dignity and direction,” said Ms Kgafela-Mokoka.

With registration open for a month and implementation set for March 2026, Project Bula Buka carries a simple but powerful message: one exam result or one difficult season does not define a lifetime. Sometimes, all it takes is for someone to open the book again and begin a new chapter. ENDS