Teachers� unions call for exam results policy

Baboki Kayawe | Wednesday January 22, 2014 17:15

Currently, Botswana has no policy on the start of the Form Four first term as confirmed by officials in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD). The BEC pace of processing and releasing results determines when Form Fours report for the first term.

Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) publicity secretary, Gofaone Pusompe has said the lack of policy has metamorphosed an anomaly into normality, and it is business as usual that Form Fours start their first term later than the rest of the learners.

He said it is now custom that Four Fours report late to school which heavily impacts on their supposed two years at senior secondary because the delay in releasing results gives limited time to cover the syllabi content. The implications are that teachers end up hurrying through the content without learners fully comprehending the subject, which then leads to trouble at exams because when questions are set, factors such as late start are not considered.

The current arrangement, which he said is beyond the control of the school administration creates a situation where senior secondary education favours select students - fast learners.

“As for those who are slow in learning, the set up works against them because the intention is to finish the curricula in time regardless of learners’ level of understanding of its content,” he said.

The issue is multi-faceted according to Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) spokesperson Solomon Batsietswe. Concurring with Pusompe, he said the most critical repercussion is that teachers find it difficult to complete the learning material for the term, the academic year and indeed the entire duration of senior secondary education. Consequently, teachers literally run through the syllabi and in the event, learners fail to grasp what they are taught. “Usually arrangements for teachers to have extended teaching hours are made late in the course of learning, and it brings with it issues of overtime payment and both learners and teachers staying behind during school holidays,” he said.

The fact that results are published late, and admissions made way after the festivities poses monetary challenges to parents because in some instances, students are admitted to schools that are far from their places of abode. 

“In a way, the current order of things stretches parents’ budgets because learners can only be sure that they have passed after results are released and guardians can end up directing their money to other duties,” Batsietswe said.

But Education Ministry spokesperson, Silas Sehularo counters that in the absence of a policy, there is a guideline which stipulates that immediately after the release of results, Form Fours should report to school within three weeks.

In recent years, the Junior Certificate Examinations results have been released later than usual. But Sehularo said BEC has a working time frame which guides the release of results.

The unavailability of the relevant policy, according to education authorities does not have a bearing on students failing to complete their senior secondary syllabi. “Syllabi are always completed on time including subjects with projects or practicals. Also the syllabi has been designed in a way to accommodate possible delays or with exam process in mind,” Sehularo said.

But teachers unions disagree. “It is not true that the syllabi is designed to accommodate such delays, if Form Three students can sit their final exams without having completed the learning content despite their early start, what do you expect of those who open a month or two later?” Batsietswe asked.

He said MoESD should refrain from the habit of defending BEC because at the end of the day, their (MoESD) mandate of content delivery is affected by delays from the exams body.

BEC had not responded to Mmegi inquiries at press time. Meanwhile, Education Minister, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi is in Britain attending a global forum that started Monday and ends today. It is held under the theme: “Planning for 2015; Policy Making Catalyst for a Decade Ahead: Measurement, Reach and Enterprise”. The meeting brings together ministers with responsibility for education at all levels and captains of industry in education to discuss improvements in education and learning.