Education Ministry tightens sponsorship

Chandapiwa Baputaki
Staff Writer | Thursday January 28, 2010 00:00

The acting permanent secretary in the ministry, Baeti Molake says the reforms have been necessitated by the declining government revenue caused by the current adverse economic down turn. He explains that the reforms therefore focus on expanding opportunities for all Batswana who desire to use education and training as a tool for self-employment, poverty alleviation and personal growth.

On the ministry website, Molake said the reforms will include cost sharing, adjustments on living allowances, financial assessment of students and their parents, reduction of numbers to be sponsored abroad, selective choice of programmes and institutions of study for students and optimising spaces available at the local technical and vocational colleges.

'In light of these reforms, the ministry will not be sponsoring repeats and retakes. The ministry therefore encourages all those under government sponsorship to complete their studies within the current loan agreement,' he said. Molake encouraged all stakeholders and parents to take full responsibility for the education and training of their children. He assures those currently under government sponsorship of the commitment to ensure that they complete their studies.

The reforms come after recommendations from the Evaluation Service Team - Botswana (BEST). From the information on the ministry website, it looks like government has decided that parents will pay 50 percent of tuition fees upfront, with the state paying the other 50 percent. This is one of the options suggested by BEST, which also said that those who come forward to indicate that they cannot pay the 50 percent tuition fees will be put through a means test. The test is meant to establish the portion of the fees they cannot afford to pay, if any. BEST suggested  that those who cannot afford to pay completely will receive 100 percent support from government on tuition fees, as a grant, but will still have to shoulder the 100 percent loan on all other costs.