Urgent need for Botswana, other African countries to develop a national autism strategy

How many teachers, facing overcrowded classrooms, are expected to include autistic learners without training, specialist support, or clear national guidelines? And perhaps the most important question: how many children are we quietly failing without even realising it?

These questions illuminate a national gap we have allowed to widen for far too long. Botswana and most (if not all) African countries have no dedicated national autism strategy, no overarching plan that coordinates early diagnosis, school inclusion, therapy, community support, or transition into adulthood. In the absence of a formal framework, autistic children and their families navigate an uncharted journey, often alone, relying on luck, personal resources, and the goodwill of volunteers.