Our Education System Is At Crossroads
Monitor Editor | Monday February 19, 2018 14:50
The 2017 results, as announced by the Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) executive secretary, Professor Brian Mokopakgosi, on Friday said this year 24.05% candidates from government and government-aided schools were awarded Grade C or better in five syllabi compared to 25.46% in 2016, showing a decline of 1.41 percent.
The decline is marginal, but is that the best we can produce? St Joseph’s College came top at 52.75%, followed at a distance by Mater Spei College with a paltry 39.95%.
This is not the time for us to be complacent and celebrate low pass rates as good enough. There is definitely something wrong with our education system, and the time is now to address the issue of our ever dwindling pass rate.
We should be striving to see an increase in the pass rate year after year, and thus then we can pride ourselves with having an ‘educated and informed nation’. Is it not time for us to seriously interrogate why our results seem to be regressing instead of improving?
It cannot be any single person or an entity’s problem, but all stakeholders should play their role in the fight for glorious days in education.
The government should address all outstanding issues, mainly challenges faced by teachers, thus working conditions, and all other issues, which trade unions have been lobbying government to change for a number of years.
It is not uncommon for one class to have over 50 students, while Education International recommends 1: 25 ratio.
Teachers are expected to be miracle workers and give individual attention to such a large group of students. Does our government see this as possible or it is just an issue of not caring about our future leaders?
There are vacant teaching posts, and a lot of graduates who are still unemployed. There is also an issue of limited resources. The challenges are not only government related, as some parents also show very little interest in their children’s education, leaving all the burden to teachers.
Different stakeholders need to come together to make sure that our future leaders get the best education. The business community should also have a hand in ensuring that the country’s education system improves.
A number of companies have adopted schools, something which is commendable and should be encouraged. We have seen in the past weeks people coming together to give farewell presents to President Ian Khama.
Why can’t businesspeople and communities to work together to develop local schools?