No child must be denied school-Masisi
Sharon Mathala | Wednesday November 16, 2022 12:58
Masisi said this during yesterday’s State of the Nation Address (SONA). The President noted that “under no circumstances” should a child in Botswana be deprived of going to school.
“I note with concern that some parents and guardians choose not to send their children to school, contrary to the best interest of the child. No child, under no circumstance, be it yours, those of your relatives, domestic helpers and farm workers, should ever be denied access to education,” the President issued the stern warning.
Masisi further pointed out that his government is aware of instances where children are subjected to child labour.“No child should be subjected to child labour. All of us have an obligation to ensure that children’s rights are safeguarded and promoted.”
“Government is committed to providing a safe and enabling environment for children to grow and reach their full potential. As such, the review of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children’s Policy framework will be completed during the second Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP),” he continued.
According to Masisi to ensure that no child is left behind in education, government has since approved the Languages Policy of 2022 which will be used for basic teaching from pre-primary to standard 2.
“This Policy will be introduced in the following languages, from January 2023: Sheyeyi; Thimbukushu; Naro; Nama; Afrikaans; Khwedam; IsiNdebele, OtjiHerero/OtjiMbanderu; Shekgalagari; Ikalanga; ChiShona; Chiikuhane; and, Sign Language. The agreed orthography and dominance in the regions where the languages are spoken, were some of the criteria used for their selection,” Masisi pronounced. Botswana, according to the President will also work on reviewing the school feeding programme.
“Following the 2021 World Children’s Day commemoration, I received 75 letters from children, citing nutrition as one of the key challenges in child development. This gave impetus to the review of the Botswana School Feeding Programme for all schools. In the spirit of children’s rights, children are not only to be seen but must also be heard,” The President noted.