13 Jul 2026

Ghanzi District has recorded the highest primary school dropout rate in the country between 2014 and 2019, with an average of three per cent of pupils leaving school.

A Botswana Statistics Primary School brief released recently indicates that during the said period, between 208 and 345 pupils dropped out annually in Ghanzi from a total enrolment of between 7 300 and 8 600 learners. The North West District had the second highest rate, with dropouts averaging about one per cent of enrolled pupils. Kgalagadi followed, while Chobe, North East, South East and Kgatleng recorded the lowest dropout rates.

Nationally, the number of primary school dropouts ranged from 1 533 in 2019 from a peak of 2 568 in 2015, a trend that points to underlying challenges in the primary education system.

The brief further shows that total enrolment in all primary schools was 371 616 in 2019. 

Government schools accounted for 345 186 pupils, or 92.8 per cent, while private schools enrolled 26 430 pupils, representing 7.2 per cent.

Enrolment increased by 1.4 per cent between 2018 and 2019, from 366 253 to 371 616. Over the five-year period from 2014 to 2019, enrolment rose by 9.1 per cent from 340 700 to 371 616.

The Central District recorded the highest proportion of pupils at 34.1 per cent, followed by Kweneng with 14.1 per cent and South with 12.2 per cent.

The report further states that the number of males enrolled has been consistently higher than that of their female counterparts throughout the years.ENDS