22 Jun 2026

First Lady Ms Kaone Boko has called for a safe environment where children can play and develop, noting that play is important for their cognitive growth and relational skills.

Speaking at the commemoration of International Day of Play in Gaborone Thursday, Ms Boko said play was important in children’s learning and emotional development. She therefore, urged parents, caregivers and community to engage meaningfully with children, and be more involved in establishing safe play, stressing the need for a collective commitment to prioritise play in national development agenda.  

Ms Boko urged stakeholders to work together in protecting and promoting children’s play and development. She urged them to ensure safety of children while promoting their well-being through access to education, health facilities and nurturing environment. 

Commemorated under the theme: Protect Play, Protect Childhood, Ms Boko said the theme emphasised parents and caregivers’ responsibility in ensuring a safe environment for children to play. 

She said play, according to research was beneficial in enhanced language skills as well as healthy emotional development. And, therefore called on a collective responsibility of families, communities and government in nurturing children’s development. 

UN Resident Coordinator Ms Wenyan Yang encouraged children to embrace their right to play and enjoy their childhood fully, emphasising the importance of children’s voices and their right to joyful play. 

She said play was not just a leisure activity but a fundamental right that contributed to various aspects of a child’s growth. Ms Wenyan said play should be integrated into policies and educational practices.

Ms Wenyan, however acknowledged the significant progress by Botswana government in increasing access to early childhood development services, aiming for 80 per cent access by 2030. 

She appealed for quality early childhood services that were play-based, inclusive, and responsive to every child’s needs, with special attention directed toward the girl child and children with disabilities, who often faced societal barriers and inequalities.

Meanwhile, deputy permanent secretary in the ministry of basic education, Dr Morena Rankopo highlighted the crucial role of early childhood development (ECD) in Botswana, noting that the first five years were vital for lifelong learning, health, and productivity. He said while progress had been made in educational access and well-being, challenges remained, especially in rural and low-income children’s households which were indicated by enrolment rates. 

Dr Rankopo said government was committed to address these challenges through strategic priorities such as expanding access to ECD services, strengthening community-based initiatives, and enhancing the quality of education. This call to action, Dr Rankopo said urged stakeholders to collaborate in ensuring that every child had access to quality ECD services, aligning with the national vision for development. 

He further emphasised the significance of the early years of life for human development, stating that investments during this period yielded high returns for individuals and society. He said 67 per cent of children under five years lacked access to early childhood education in Botswana, saying this called for the urgency of addressing educational inequities. 

He said government has made efforts to address these inequalities such as the introduction of structured early learning programmes in public schools. 

Dr Rankopo said there was need for improvements in access and infrastructure, and therefore appealed for collaboration among various stakeholders to reflect on a strategic approach in order to overcome existing challenges. ENDS