OVERHAULING OF BOTSWANA’S EDUCATION SYSTEM: WHAT LESSONS CAN BE LEARNT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES?

Abstract

Botswana attained its independence from the British colonial administration in 1966, and to date the country has made significant strides in its effort to increase access to basic education for all children. In the more than fifty years that the country has been independent, there has been implementation of a series of government policies. These policies articulate goals and strategies that need to be pursued to ensure access to education and the provision of the resources and materials required for quality education to be realised. In this article we argue that while government has invested heavily in the current education system to enable an increase in the number of students into basic education, the education provided has been predominantly academic. The system which is a legacy of mission and colonial education is perceived as benefiting mainly the academically intelligent students, at the exclusion of students with high learning abilities in other fields of education such as technical or vocational. The article argues for an overhaul of the current education system due to its failure to cater for many children with different learning abilities and styles. Comparison is made between Botswana, and its two neighbouring countries of Zimbabwe and South Africa, whose education systems went through radical transformation following independence. It is therefore recommended that Botswana should, like the two neighbouring countries consider overhauling its education system in the interest of all students, including those who are not academically gifted.
Keywords: Basic education; quality education; education system; colonial education; vocational education; Botswana.