Uphold our school uniform rules now

Mmegi Editor | Tuesday January 20, 2026 10:29

As reported elsewhere in this publication, the country’s school uniform industry is being shaken by widespread smuggling, fronting and deceit.

This is not just a business issue, but a direct attack on a national policy designed to build Botswana’s own economy and protect Batswana jobs.

We call on the Ministry of Education, the Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS), the Police and all relevant bodies to take immediate and decisive action to ensure compliance. To understand why this matters, we must remember why the policy was put in place. The school uniform import restriction was formulated as a strategic tool for national development. Its core purpose is to nurture local manufacturing, create sustainable employment for citizens, and keep economic value within the country’s borders. Since its implementation, it has supported home-grown companies, some operating for over 30 years, allowing them to invest, hire, and contribute to local communities. It is a policy born to promote self-reliance. The BEMA report, however, shows this vision is under threat. The findings from Francistown and Mahalapye are alarming: fake “front” factories, shelves stocked with smuggled “Made in China” uniforms, and retailers with suspiciously full stocks. These are not minor offences as they are a coordinated to undermine the rule of law. Smuggling floods the market with cheap, often poor-quality goods, undercutting legitimate Batswana manufacturers. Fronting, where citizens lend their names to non-citizen owners, corrupts the policy’s intent and cheats the very people it aims to empower. The consequences of inaction are severe. If this cheating continues unchecked, reputable local manufacturers will be driven out of business.

Citizens will lose their jobs while the government will lose tax revenue. Ultimately, the policy will become meaningless, and we will have surrendered a key part of our industrial base to lawbreakers and foreign imports. Therefore, a concerted enforcement effort is urgently required. The Ministry of Education has a profound responsibility here. Schools and parents trust that the uniform market is fair and lawful. Authorities must ensure that the suppliers on its lists are fully compliant and should disqualify any found breaching the rules. It must work hand-in-hand with trade officials to send a clear message that our schools will not be clothed through corruption. BURS and other enforcement agencies must act on BEMA’s recommendations without delay. The proposed 45-day coordinated anti-smuggling operation is critical. Officers must crack down on border leaks and raid warehouses and shops, removing all illegal stock. The 60-day timeline for enforcement actions against fronting must be a strict deadline. The school uniform policy is a testament to Botswana’s ambition for economic independence. We cannot allow it to be stolen by a few greedy actors. The rule of law must prevail. We urge the Ministry of Education, BURS, and every leader involved to protect this national asset.

‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world’- Mahatma Gandhi