Gov�t sends Ds to tertiary institutions
Staff Writer | Tuesday July 25, 2017 16:19
Assistant minister, Fidelis Molao told Parliament that the current 36 cut-off points (the limit at which government tertiary funding is granted) is not cast in stone, rather a budgetary consideration.
He said government has in the past sponsored students who attained 35 points or below in the Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) for further studies.
Molao added that between 2014 and 2016 some students who attained 35 points or below were absorbed for further studies to pursue technical subjects through public technical colleges and vocational institutions.
Molao told Parliament a total of 87,912 such students attained 35 points or below in the past three years. He was responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Boteti East, Lelatisitswe Sethomo who had enquired about programmes in place to cater for students who attained 35 points or below in BGCSE.
“Some of them enroll through the Botswana College of Open and Distance Learning to upgrade their results,” he further said.
He said 32.3% of BGCSE completers were given funding for further education in 2013, while 22.9% were funded in 2014, adding that 22.7% were funded in 2015.
“I wish to state that the cut-off point for tertiary education is purely a budgetary issue. If government had sufficient funds, the cut-off point could be as low as 30 points,” Molao said.
However, he said a special dispensation was extended to orphans and vulnerable children, special education students and Remote Area Dwellers who are sponsored at a minimum of 31 points. He said his ministry was exploring different policy options, which included cost sharing and increased private sector funding for skill development.
Molao said a policy shift is being explored along the lines of phasing out the current grant-loan scheme, awarding of sponsorship on the basis of programmes aligned to the needs of the economy, the introduction of a requirement that all beneficiaries should make some repayment when they get employment, and the introduction of a government-guaranteed loan to cater for individuals seeking to pursue programmes that do not attract government scholarship.