18 Mar 2013

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama says Botswana is faced with the challenge of addressing the urgent need to deliver quality education and fulfill the promise of education for all.

Officiating at the BDP’s 51st national council, President Khama pointed out that in a global economy, education was a basic right and skills development and knowledge paramount.    

President Khama said in order to respond to the declining pass rate of students at all levels in public schools, he has taken a personal interest in ensuring proactive and timely delivery of all developments within the Ministry of Education and Skills Development. 

“The one thing that remains clear in my mind is that we cannot expect to see the pass rate improve if we do not work as a team made up of communities, parents, teachers, government and the pupils themselves,” he stressed. 

President Khama noted that the government had taken steps to improve the working conditions of teachers, and that it was their expectation that teaching would improve and that all teachers would deliver to the best of their ability. 

He said parents should not be forgotten in the equation, as  they too have a major responsibility in guiding their children and helping them to learn. “In the end, there is no programme or policy that can substitute for a mother or father supporting children’s education at home, whether it is homework or the PTA.  I must place emphasis that the responsibility for our children’s education must begin at home,” President Khama added.

He noted that students also had the responsibility to study, but that it could only happen if all adults around the student make the environment conducive to learning. 

President Khama said the government would continue to do its best, but that they needed everyone on board to succeed. ENDS