RECOMMENDATIONS ON STRATEGY FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
REC.1 [para. 2.3.4.17] The Commission recommends that equity continues to be an explicit goal of educational policy and that the Ministries responsible for education and training should introduce appropriate measures to achieve greater equity. They should develop clear equity indicators and targets so that progress can be regularly monitored and reported.
REC.2 [para. 2.3.25] With respect to pre-vocational preparation in the primary and secondary schools, the Commission recommends that the Ministry of Education establishes an inter-departmental committee chaired by the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Education Development Services) and having representation from the business community to ensure the phased introduction of the programme over the next five years and to monitor the curriculum development process.
REC.3 [para. 2.3.30] With respect to language policy, the Commission recommends that the National Setswana Language Council be renamed the Botswana Languages Council and be given revised Terms of Reference, including the responsibility for developing a comprehensive language policy.
REC.4 [para. 2.3.37] With respect to quality assurance, the Commission recommends the establishment of quality assurance systems for education and training, and the publication of annual reports on the performance of the education and training system
REC.6
[para. 2.5.9] With respect to the implementation of its proposals and to
educational policy review, the Commission recommends that:
a)
a standing
National Council on Education is established in 1994 with the following Terms of
Reference:
i)
To advice Government on the Education system.
ii)
To monitor and evaluate the implementation of educational policy.
iii)
To monitor quality in the education system.
iv)
To initiate reviews of particular aspects of education.
v)
To propose changes in education policy.
vi)
To publish an annual report on the performance of the education system.
vii) To
foster public awareness and understanding of education policies.
viii) To
consider any other aspect of education deemed relevant.
d)
the membership of the National Council on Education should include representatives of teachers and other education professionals, of the
public service, of the business community and of the public.
f) the National
Council on Education should meet at least once a year.
g) the Ministry
of Education should undertake a public education programme after the publication of the White paper.
a)
a programme of
professional seminars is organized under the supervision of the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Education Development Services) in the
Ministry of Education after the publication of the White Paper.
RECOMMENDATIONS
ON PRE-PRIMARY EDUCATION
REC.9
[para.3.6.5] The Commission recommends that:
a)
the Ministry of Education should be assigned the portfolio responsibility
for pre-primary education.
b)
a Pre-primary Education unit should be established as soon as possible in
the Department of Primary Education with the functions of:
-
registering all
pre-primary education units.
-
establishing
standards for facilities and the quality of the programme
-
supervising
pre-primary education.
e) a Pre-School
Development Committee should be established, chaired by the Ministry of Education with representatives from the Ministries of Health, Local Government, Lands and Housing, Labour and Home Affairs and other
REC.11
[para. 3.8.7] With respect to the curriculum for pre-primary education,
the Commission recommends that:
a)
the Ministry of Education should develop a curriculum together with
teachers guide and other support materials which should guide the operation of all
pre-
b)
the Curriculum Development Unit should be strengthened to enable it to
co-ordinate the development of the curriculum.
RECOMMENDATIONS
ON PRIMARY EDUCATION
REC.14
[para.4.4.11] With respect to primary school facilities and standards,
the Commission recommends that:
a)
a special
provision should be made over and above normal budgetary allocation to clear the
backlog of classrooms and teachers` quarters that presently exists.
b)
in view of the
difficulty small contractors face in remoter areas of the country, Government
should include bigger construction firms in the award of contracts for clearing
the backlog,
c)
a standard
primary school should have the following as a minimum:
The
physical facilities, equipment and support staff listed below are considered
standard rather than the barest minimum required to run a primary school.
-
adequate number
of classrooms up to a maximum of 22
-
administration
block with office space for the headteacher, deputy headteacher and typists,
staff room and 2 storerooms for storage of books and food
-
library
-
resource centre
-
fully equipped
Science room/Science Equipment
-
room for health
activities
- a sports field for various sporting activities
-
a tool shed for
storage of agricultural and other tools
-
teachers`
quarters with a minimum of 2 bedrooms
-
adequate toilet
facilities (including provision for the disabled)
-
sufficient land
for agricultural purposes and future development
-
electrification
of school buildings including teachers` quarters
-
typewriter /
computer
-
reprographic
equipment (cyclostyling machine / photocopier)
-
telephone
(where available)
-
library books
a)
PTAs should be
encouraged to add to this minimum, for example in the provision of computers and
library books, in order to enrich the curriculum of the school.
b)
each teacher
should be provided with accommodation.
It
is noted that responsibility for provision of infrastructure, including
decisions on the categories of contractors to be engaged, rests with the
Ministry of Local Government, Lands and Housing. Computers, in particular should
constitute some of the equipment in the proposed resource centres for primary
schools to ensure early exposure to computing as a learning resource.
REC.15
[para.4.5.12] The Commission recommends the following measures
to increase access and achieve equity in primary education:
b)
other strategies for achieving universal primary education as outlined in
National
Development Plan 7, 1991-1997 should
be implemented, namely:
-
more special
schools for the disable;
-
better
supervision of primary school hostels;
-
sensitising
teachers to cultural differences;
-
bursaries or
destitute allowances to cover costs of school attendance for the very poor.
a)
enactment of a
compulsory education legislation should be deferred until present policies to
achieve universal primary education have failed to yield the desired results.
REC.16
[para. 4.6.10] With respect to the duration of primary education and the
age of entry, the Commission recommends that:
b)
the minimum entry age should be retained at 6 years for public schools
and 5 years for private schools.
c)
the maximum entry age should be kept flexible in order to allow children
in
REC.17
[para. 4.7.22] On the primary school curriculum, assessment and
examinations, the Commission recommends that:
a)
a policy on curriculum development should be formulated to include the
following:
-
a framework for
integrating new subjects, themes and issues into the existing curriculum,
-
the package of
subjects for the various levels of primary education,
-
the criteria
for determining core and optional as well as time allocation for various
subjects.
b)
periodic surveys should be undertaken to evaluate the extent to which the
While
this evaluation presently takes the form of monitoring of programmes by
Curriculum Development Officers and feedback from teachers, a more systematic
approach in terms of data collection, statistical analysis, etc. should be
adopted.
c)
immediate steps should be taken to develop a continuous basic education
b)
immediate
initiatives should be taken to develop syllabuses for Art and Craft, Home
Economics, Music and Physical Education.
c)
the PSLE should
become a diagnostic test and the number of examinable subjects should be
increased to seven by adding Agriculture and Religious and Moral Education.
d)
the standard 4
Attainment Test should be retained and the supporting mechanisms of continuous
assessment and remedial teaching should be put in place.
REC.
18 [para. 4.7.31] With respect
to the teaching of languages in primary school, the Commission recommends
that:
b)
in order to establish the conditions for introducing English as the
medium of instruction, the envisaged training programmes to improve the
qualifications and
d)
Setswana should be taught as a compulsory subject for citizens of
REC.
19 [para. 4.7.36] In relation
to educational support services, the Commission recommends that:
a) the educational
broadcasting programmes should be updated and expanded to serve the needs of primary schools, including an expanded use of audio
cassettes.
b) the Guidance and
Counselling programme in primary schools should be
The Guidance and Counselling Division should be strengthened to ensure
adequate support for teachers, and Guidance and Counselling should be covered
during pre-
c)
positions of Educational Psychologists should be established to advice
teachers on children with special needs.
REC.
20 [para. 4.8.7] With respect
to textbook development, the Commission recommends that:
a)
a Textbook Evaluation Committee should be established to evaluate
materials for
Committee should include teachers, education officers, and
representatives of
b)
teachers who participate in the writing of textbooks should receive 75%
of the
royalties paid to the Ministry of Education
c)
the contract for the joint development of textbooks should be open to all
publishers on a competitive basis.
REC.
21 [para. 4.8.15] With respect
to the procurement and distribution of instructional materials, the Commission recommends
that:
a)
the system of procurement and distribution should be decentralized to the
district
It
is expected that Councils will continue to improve their capacity to handle
procurement. In the meantime procurement should remain centralised, but the
distribution should be decentralised and this should remain so until the
Councils have sufficient capacity to handle the entire system.
b)
the system of ordering books directly from publishers should be retained
as it
ensures a more reliable supply source.
c)
the procurement and distribution process should immediately be
computerized to
d)
the Curriculum Development Unit should prepare Requisition Forms covering
at
REC.
22 [para. 4.8.21] The
Commission recommends that in the long-term the norm of maximum class
size should be 30, but in the short term the maximum should be reduced from 45
to 40.
REC.
23 [para. 4.8.32] With respect
to progression in primary school, the Commission recommends that:
a)
the policy of automatic promotion should be replaced with a policy of
assessed
progression. This policy should have the following guidelines:
-
repetition up
to 12,55 in each class;
-
accelerated
progression after due consultation with parents.
While
repetition is accepted, in any event a pupil should repeat no more than three
standards. Effective consultation between the class teachers, remedial teachers
and educational psychologists on the one hand, and the parents on the other,
should determine those who should repeat classes and those recommended for
accelerated progression.
b)
a continuous assessment system should be implemented on a national basis.
c)
each school should be provided with at least one trained remedial teacher
at a
senior teacher level whose sole responsibility will be remedial teaching.
REC.
24 [para. 4.8.36] On school
management and teacher development, the Commission recommends that:
a)
the Ministry of Education should develop guidelines for headteachers,
clearly
defining their roles both as instructional leaders and administrators of
the school.
b)
the functions of senior teachers should be more specifically defined and
standardized than at present. In addition to the present functions,
senior teachers
Science/Mathematics, and Languages and to guide teachers in the teaching
of
these subjects.
c)
from standard 4 onwards pupils should gradually be introduced to teaching
by
specialist teachers.
REC.
26 [para. 4.9.21] With regard
to private primary schools, the Commission recommends that:
a)
Government should maintain its present policy on private English Medium
Schools.
b)
the fees Batswana children attending private English Medium primary
schools
should not be subsidized.
c)
the Ministry of Education should encourage private primary schools to
participate
d)
private Setswana Medium schools should be registered and supported where
there
REC.
27 [para. 4.10.13] The
Commission recommends that:
a)
the present policy of joint responsibility for primary education should
continue.
RECOMMENDATIONS
ON SECONDARY EDUCATION
REC.
28 [para. 5.4.11] With respect
to the duration of junior secondary education, the Commission recommends
that junior secondary education should be extended from two to three years.
REC.
29 [para. 5.4.21] With respect
to the duration of junior secondary education, the Commission recommends
that:
b)
the additional facilities required to maintain the present progression
rate from
primary to junior secondary education should be built over a period of
two years
c)
the feasibility of mounting a crash training programme for teachers
should be
explored. Consideration should also be given to use of teachers on
teaching
practice as well as external recruitment of additional teachers.
REC.
30 [para. 5.4.24] With respect
to study groups, the Commission recommends that:
a)
study groups should not be subsidized by Government.
b)
The Ministry of Education through the Department of Secondary Education
should
groups and ensure that effective teaching takes place.
REC. 31 [para. 5.5.7] The Commission recommends the following statement of goals for the three year junior secondary programme:
The goals of the Junior Certificate
curriculum are to develop in all children
-
proficiency in
the use of Setswana and English language as tools for effective communication,
study and work;
-
an
understanding of society, appreciation of culture and sense of citizenship;
-
the capacity to
use computational skills for practical purposes;
-
an
understanding of scientific concepts and interest in the natural world;
-
an appreciation
of technology and the acquisition of basic skills in handling tools and
materials;
-
an
understanding of business and everyday commercial transactions;
-
computer
literacy;
-
critical
thinking, problem-solving ability, individual initiative and interpersonal
skills;
-
readiness for
the world of work.
REC.
32 [para. 5.5.13] With respect
to the Junior Certificate curriculum, the Commission recommends that:
c)
each student should take a basic Computer Awareness Course.
e)
each student should also take at least one co-curricular activity in the
form of a
sporting activity, a club or a hobby.
should determine time allocation for these subjects.
REC.
33 [para5.5.17] With respect
to pre-vocational preparation in junior secondary education, the Commission recommends
that:
a)
at the level of the school, the Careers Guidance teacher be given
specific
responsibility for coordination of the programme as part of the job
description.
b)
in-service training for all teachers is provided on introducing and
sustaining this
approach to the curriculum and co-curricular activities. Special
in-service training
c)
careers classes should be included in the school time-table.
d)
careers guidance in schools should encourage pupils to consider a broad
range of
The
role of the Careers Guidance teacher should be broad to encompass a widened
concept of Guidance and Counselling so that the process of pre-vocational
preparation should include the social and personal development concerns.
REC. 34 [para. 5.5.19] In order to maximize the use of physical facilities, equipment and teachers in the provision of the new junior secondary curriculum, the Commission recommends that the Ministry of Education should formulate a policy on the combinations of options that will be feasible in the various sizes of schools.
REC.
35 [para. 5.5.29] With respect
to the wide range of ability in junior secondary schools, the Commission recommends
that:
a) as an immediate step, an in-service training programme in mixed ability and remedial teaching should be developed for serving teachers.
c)
the Ministry of Education should formulate a policy which ensures that
slow learners receive maximum assistance from teachers.
REC.
36 [para. 5.5.29] The
Commission endorses the move towards greater use of Criterion Referenced
Testing. However, it recommends that care should be taken in the use of
the Criterion Referenced Testing System to ensure that it is adapted to measure
all aspects of students` ability.
REC.
37 [para. 5.6.9] With respect
to boarding policy for Community Junior Secondary Schools, the Commission recommends
that:
b) strategically located large boarding schools with wider catchment areas should be built instead of several small ones where this is cost-effectice.
REC. 38 [para. 5.7.4] With respect to unified secondary schools, the Commission recommends that:
a)
a phased programme of converting strategically located junior secondary
schools into unified secondary schools offering a full five year secondary
education, be initiated immediately as part of the ongoing development of secondary
education facilities.
b) Criteria for the location of unified secondary schools should be developed.
b)
the Education Act should amended to raise the official class size
at senior secondary from 30 to 35.
c)
the Government should provide land and an enabling environment to
encourage the private sector to develop private senior secondary schools.
d)
senior secondary teachers should be encouraged and remunerated
appropriately for acting as tutors at study centres for out-of-school students.
REC. 42 [para. 5.10.12] In terms of improving the orientation of the senior secondary schools to the world of work, the Commission recommends that:
a)
in implementing the Commission`s recommendation made in para. 5.11.9 to
localize the senior secondary syllabuses and examinations, and enable the
latter to cater for a wider ability group, emphasis should be placed on developing
practical
and business subjects related to the world of work in
b)
in the future certification system for senior secondary leavers, the role
of continuous assessment should be fully recognised, with some weighting in
the final grading, and teachers should be given adequate training to handle
continuous assessment.
c)
the provision of more practical and work-related subjects in the
curriculum and a cross-curriculum approach to work-readiness should be supported by a strengthened
management structure at school level, with identified
supervisory responsibility for this area of activity and for career guidance.
d)
formal links should be developed between schools and commerce and
industry. For example, teachers could do attachments in the private sector for
short learning periods to acquire knowledge and understanding of the world of work and
to develop new management skills; and sponsorship by private sector firms of special prizes and awards for excellence in various areas of the
curriculum could be encouraged
e)
tracer studies of senior secondary school leavers should be carried out
as a regular part of the Ministry of Education`s research programme in order to
provide inputs for curriculum development and careers guidance.
f)
all senior secondary school teachers should acquire computer literacy and
the schools should be allocated enough computers to enable all students to
develop computer skills.
g)
when the new three year JC curriculum is implemented steps must be taken
to ensure that practical and business subjects taught in senior secondary
schools build on what is provided in the junior secondary schools.
h) teacher training should include programmes in Guidance and Counselling for all
teachers, and exposure to commerce and industry should be provided to senior
secondary school teachers at teacher training institutions. Provision of teacher
training opportunities should be increased in the practical and commercial
subjects to reduce reliance on expatriates.
i) adequate budgets for practical and commercial subjects and learning resources,
especially library facilities, multi-media resource centres, supplies and
maintenance, should be allocated.
j) advisory and supervisory services should be improved, including in-service
training for Education Officers to guide and manage adequately the increased
orientation to the world of work.
k) Guidance and Counselling should be improved by giving the school coordinator
an office, reduced teaching load, a dedicated classroom and relevant material. The
world of work relevance of every subject should be drawn out in the curriculum of
every subject and taught by every teacher, whose training must include guidance
and counselling.
l) practical subject clubs, and other clubs that promote contact with the world of
work, should be encouraged.
REC. 43 [para. 5.10.25] With respect to Science and Technology education, the Commission recommends that:
a) the formulation of a Science and Technology policy should be finalized as soon as
possible, and that the policy should pay special attention to providing guidelines
for Science and Mathematics education.
b) the shortfall in Science and Mathematics teachers which is being met through
recruitment of expatriate teachers should be addressed through an aggressive and
deliberate long term project to specifically train Science Mathematics teachers for
senior secondary schools. Special incentives should be developed to attract
suitable candidates for training and subsequently to retain them in the teaching
profession.
c) equipment, materials and facilities for the teaching of Mathematics and Science at
senior secondary school level should be better utilized. A well-structured and
comprehensive in-service training programme for teachers and on-the-spot
assistance by Education Officers should be instituted to ensure improved
instruction and optimum utilization of resources. There should be provision of
support staff, especially laboratory technicians and assistants, to facilitate the
organisation of laboratory activities.
d) intensified measures to popularise science amongst students and to develop an
interest and positive attitudes towards Science and Technology should be
developed through Science and Mathematics fairs and other competitive activities,
special awards, the establishment of a Science and Technology park and so forth.
e)