BOSETU�S Comment On Budget Proposal For The Fiscal Year 2017/18 With Particular Focus On The Education Sector
Correspondent | Monday February 13, 2017 16:21
1. BOSETU as a teacher trade union and part of the wider civil society, notes with keen
interest the budget proposal for the financial year 2017/18 as read out by the Minister
of Finance and Economic Development to the National Assembly of Botswana on 6th
February 2017.
2. We note especially the aspect of the budget that relates to the education sector of the
economy.
3. Before making observations on the allocations to the education sector, and giving out our perspective, there is need to preface our comment as thus;
3.1. BOSETU has always maintained and echoed the understanding that education
remains the single most important tool to fight abject poverty in any country, and no doubt, it is the mainstay of development of all countries of the world.
3.2. This view is anchored on the fact that an education system that effectively empowers all its citizens including children from the economically disadvantaged backgrounds with requisite skills and competencies opens avenues for employment of such, hence breaking the cycle of poverty.
3.3. Our view is that the development of human resource that would match the job market of the country is a prerequisite for the development of any country hence our long held view that Botswana should take decisive steps to move away from an economy based on natural resources to a human capital driven
economy.
4. In view of the foregoing, and the stage where we are as country with our education
system, we have always held that the lion’s share of our country’s recurrent and development budgets should be allocated to the education sector.
5. We note and appreciate that, of the Ministerial recurrent budget of P39.66 billion, the
biggest share of 6. 80 billion, which is a 17.2% of the total ministerial recurrent budget, has been allocated to the Ministry of Basic Education.
6. This, in our view is not any different from the previous financial year allocations. We believe that the issue should not be that the Ministry of Basic Education got the lion’s share of the recurrent budget, but rather that, would the allocated amount address the core issues that the Ministry is currently grappling with.
7. When revealing our 2017 priority issues that have dragged down the country’s education system, resulting in poor quality education and low national results a week ago, we mentioned the issue of class size that definitely requires more teachers being hired. This is a critical aspect, and should have been considered during this financial year’s allocation to the Ministry of Basic Education.
8. It is a known fact that most of our schools remain manned by short term contract teachers (temporary teachers), posts of responsibilities in schools remain vacant while some new positions that have been requested from DPSM have been rejected on account of lack of funds. The recurrent budget allocation to the Ministry of Basic Education should have taken these glaring realities that are lowering our education standard into account.
9. It is also a known fact that in the current financial year, teachers had to literally cease to carry out overtime activities, hence ceasing to assist students due to the slashing of
overtime funds on account of shortage of funds. This has negatively impacted on teaching and learning hence the low results we have just experienced.
10. It is on the basis of the above realities that we feel strongly that though, the Ministry of Basic Education was allocated the largest share of the recurrent budget, the speech does not speak to the specific priorities, and in our considered view the allocated budget to the Ministry of Basic Education would not be able to adequately carry out all the major areas of priorities as enunciated above.
11. We at BOSETU take a dim view to the fact that the education sector and specifically the Ministry of Basic Education, has only been allocated P844.94 million of the 16.52 billion of development budget which is 5.1% of the total development budget. We find this unacceptable especially against the backdrop of allocating the Ministry of Defense, Justice and Security a whopping P2.76 billion, double what has been allocated to the Basic Education Ministry. This is classical case of misplaced priorities.
12. As we have always alluded to, we belief that the Ministry of Basic Education should have been allocated a bigger portion of the development budget in view of the dire need to construct more classrooms in a good number of schools across the country.
While there is need to break up overcrowded students in classes to create extra classes, it is also a known fact that they are some students who are taught outside, in open spaces, due to shortage of classrooms.
13. It is true that as you go to schools now, one would find disturbing scenarios of shortage of resources in the form of text books, exercise books, teaching materials and specialized facilities such as such science and Design & Technology laboratories.
14. In conclusion of our observation, it is evident that the budget proposal for the year
2017/18 has yet again missed an opportunity to put right the wrongs of our education system. With this budget that does not prioritize education, we are bound to continue
to experience low quality education and dwindling results.
Secretary General
Tobokani Rari