Unregulated tutoring centres worry Rari
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Monday October 30, 2023 06:00
This comes after examination papers were leaked ahead of time, causing the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Examination (BGCSE) to be postponed for two weeks. It was reported that a private chief invigilator leaked a total of seven subjects and 19 components (examination papers) were leaked to five private tuition centres in the North West region. The seven subjects are; Science Double Award, Mathematics, Commerce, Social Studies, Setswana, Geography and English. In a recent interview with Mmegi, Rari stated that the Ministry of Basic Education and Skills Development does not regulate a large number of tutoring centres.
He said instruction and learning take place in a classroom setting at the same unlicensed tutoring facility. He added that the examination procedure is also flawed because the Botswana Examination Council (BEC) does not thoroughly vet private centres before approving them to conduct examinations. He stated that because there was no comprehensive assessment, BEC ended up allowing unqualified private tutoring facilities to conduct examinations. The BOSETU scribe stated that because there was no thorough assessment, BEC ended up allowing unqualified private tutoring facilities to take part in examinations. Rari noted that because BEC is not carrying out its core duties, the leaks clearly show that the organisation lacks credibility. He added that it was fortunate that the leakage was made public this time around because it casts doubt on the validity of earlier tests and their conclusions.
For his part, the owner of one of tutoring centres, CrackiT Botswana, Moemedi Senwelo, believes that the recent leakage saga has completely undermined the credibility and integrity of BEC. He further said it would take years for people to start believing the results of local examinations. “We are going to question if people who pass these local examinations do that on merit or not. We also doubt that the prior findings were obtained on the basis of merit or that they were granted access to documents," he continued. For the sake of authenticity, Senwelo stated that they would even look into options for students to sit for international examinations like the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). He added: “We will investigate the option that those who can afford, to sit for the IGCSE examinations because of its credibility."
Senwelo, on the other hand, advised individuals taking the BGCSE examinations to view this time as a second opportunity to prepare. "Students should use this time to make corrections, be prepared, and go back and review instead of whining or venting," he said. He added that BGCSE students should put more effort into their studies rather than concentrate on the scenario's political aspect. Senwelo, likewise, exhorted private candidates to get counselling in order to get back on track.
Meanwhile, BEC recently assured the public that it has made a strong effort to ensure that the integrity of its examinations remains intact.