BEC funding crisis frustrates BGCSE invigilators, examiners
Pini Bothoko | Monday June 1, 2026 06:00
The delayed payments have left many temporary examination personnel frustrated and financially strained, despite earlier assurances from BEC that all outstanding dues would be settled by mid-May.
Speaking on behalf of the affected workers, assistant coordinator for aggrieved invigilators and examiners, Basitetswe Hosea, said the group had petitioned BEC on April 22, 2026, over the delayed payments for the 2025 examinations cycle.
Following the petition, BEC committed to settling all outstanding Junior Certificate Examination (JCE) payments by April 30, while BGCSE and Botswana Senior Secondary Education (BSSE) marking claims were expected to be paid by May 15, 2026.
However, Hosea said that as of now, the majority of BGCSE and BSSE examination personnel remain unpaid.
“We engaged BEC demanding the immediate settlement of the payments, but they responded by saying they are unable to process the payments because the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education has not yet disbursed the required subvention,” said Hosea.
He further alleged that BEC had sidelined trade unions from representing the affected workers, opting instead to deal directly with individually contracted examination personnel.
“We are now left as orphans because we cannot seek intervention from the Ministry, and unions have also been excluded by design,” he said.
Hosea added that repeated attempts to engage BEC for updates on the matter have yielded little progress, leaving many workers uncertain about when they will finally receive their money.
In response to the petition, BEC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Moreetsi Thobega, acknowledged that the council had breached its contractual obligations by failing to pay examination personnel within the agreed timeframe.
“Going forward, the Council commits to ensuring that all payments are disbursed within six weeks upon successful completion of the exercise,” said Thobega.
He acknowledged the crucial role of examination personnel in administering national examinations, describing them as strategic partners in advancing BEC’s mandate.
“BEC recognises your continued commitment to this pivotal national exercise, which warrants expeditious remuneration,” he stated.
Thobega explained that the delays were due to circumstances beyond BEC’s control, particularly the delayed release of government funding amid prevailing economic challenges.
“It is worth noting that BEC relies on government funding, which has unfortunately been delayed due to prevailing economic conditions. The ramifications of these delays, as cited in the petition, are valid and noted,” he said.
BEC also admitted that the current fee structure for examination personnel has remained unchanged for a long period and revealed that a comprehensive review of invigilation and marking fees is already underway.
According to Thobega, the review is being conducted in consultation with the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education and other stakeholders because of its significant budgetary implications.
“We aim to conclude these consultations in time to inform the 2027 examination contractual cycle,” he said.
He further assured examination personnel that BEC remains committed to complying with the Employment Act and improving payment timelines in future examination cycles.
In a further update dated May 20, 2026, BEC acknowledged that it had failed to meet its earlier promise of settling all outstanding payments by mid-May. The council said it was still experiencing delays in finalising some disbursements because it depends on government subventions to fund its operations. “BEC is actively and continuously engaging the Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education management to resolve the funding issues relating to the payment of outstanding BGCSE marking claims immediately once funding is received from government,” reads the status update from BEC.
The prolonged delays have now sparked growing frustration among invigilators and examiners, many of whom say they carried out national duties in good faith and expected timely compensation for their services.