The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president, Dumelang Saleshando, says the fact that the living allowance for tertiary students has not been increased, exposes learners to sexual exploitation.
The ruling party the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) promised in their manifesto to pay P2, 500 tertiary students’ allowances per month if the coalition won the election. But when Finance Minister and Vice President, Ndaba Gaolathe, delivered the Budget Speech this week, he did not say anything about students' allowance. Instead, he revealed that the government has committed to increasing the Old Age Pension (Tandabala Allowance) from P830 to P1, 400 effective April 1, 2025, among others. Responding to Gaolathe’s speech, Saleshando who is the Leader of Opposition (LoO) criticised the UDC government for not increasing the living allowance for tertiary students to P 2, 500 for all tertiary and vocational training institutions. “Tertiary education student allowance must be increased. The government must acknowledge that an inadequate allowance, P1, 900 at present, undermines the investment we make in learners because they are not able to attend classes. The government should further note that it is children from poor backgrounds who suffer the most as a result of an inadequate student allowance,” Saleshando pointed out.
He said as the BCP, they call for an increase in tertiary student allowances based on two criteria, cost of living and ability to pay. “Further, the government should stop treating un-equals as equals. Doing so is discrimination against those from poor backgrounds. We are amazed that in this budget, bridging the gap between allowances for TVET institutions takes precedence over the adequacy of student allowances in all institutions and setting the minimum allowance payable at P 2, 500.00,” he said. Saleshando said allowance should be higher in high-cost living areas such as Gaborone. Last December, shortly after taking over the government, the Ministry of Higher Education committed to disbursing the P2, 500 monthly allowances to tertiary students.
Speaking in Parliament, the Minister of Higher Education, Prince Maele, revealed then that the UDC would be able to commit to a date once the budget is approved. The Minister added that all tertiary students or those who live on campus, colleges and brigades included were going to be paid P2, 500. He was quick to highlight that the ministry's budget would grow by 30.23% thus they were going to credit the students with the promised allowance regardless. “We have made all the calculations to see how we are going to credit P2,500 to all the tertiary students,’’ Maele told Parliament in December.
Maele was responding to a question from Kgatleng West legislator, Unity Dow, who had asked for an update on the implementation of the promised payment of P2, 500 for tertiary student allowances. ‘’We are going to need P290.2 million to increase the budget to cover the tertiary students' expenses,” the minister said then. He further pointed out that they have calculated the budget, which will be presented to the Cabinet. The last time the previous government increased student allowances was in September 2022 when tertiary students' allowances were increased by 18.5%. Initially, students were getting P1, 620 for off-campus and P1, 420 for on-campus students. Currently, students are getting P1960 for off-campus and P1560 for on-campus students.
He said as the BCP, they call for an increase in tertiary student allowances based on two criteria, cost of living and ability to pay. “Further, the government should stop treating un-equals as equals. Doing so is discrimination against those from poor backgrounds. We are amazed that in this budget, bridging the gap between allowances for TVET institutions takes precedence over the adequacy of student allowances in all institutions and setting the minimum allowance payable at P 2, 500.00,” he said. Saleshando said allowance should be higher in high-cost living areas such as Gaborone. Last December, shortly after taking over the government, the Ministry of Higher Education committed to disbursing the P2, 500 monthly allowances to tertiary students.
Speaking in Parliament, the Minister of Higher Education, Prince Maele, revealed then that the UDC would be able to commit to a date once the budget is approved. The Minister added that all tertiary students or those who live on campus, colleges and brigades included were going to be paid P2, 500. He was quick to highlight that the ministry's budget would grow by 30.23% thus they were going to credit the students with the promised allowance regardless. “We have made all the calculations to see how we are going to credit P2,500 to all the tertiary students,’’ Maele told Parliament in December.
Maele was responding to a question from Kgatleng West legislator, Unity Dow, who had asked for an update on the implementation of the promised payment of P2, 500 for tertiary student allowances. ‘’We are going to need P290.2 million to increase the budget to cover the tertiary students' expenses,” the minister said then. He further pointed out that they have calculated the budget, which will be presented to the Cabinet. The last time the previous government increased student allowances was in September 2022 when tertiary students' allowances were increased by 18.5%. Initially, students were getting P1, 620 for off-campus and P1, 420 for on-campus students. Currently, students are getting P1960 for off-campus and P1560 for on-campus students.
