And she comes with her guns blazing in state media on May 11 2011 with innuendoes that Lobatse Secondary School students' looming uprising is a product of teachers on strike. The Minister should note that Lob Sec students and others around the country are mature and intelligent enough to raise their own voice without assistance of the striking teachers. The school has its own cream of the best who can stage a revolution of their own. The Ministry of Education is very notorious of accusing unions every time when they fail to manage crises, which they could have avoided in the first place. Last year, the Ministry did accuse teacher unions when examination papers were leaked in Maun Secondary School. She then continued to use the publicly tax-funded state media to churn out her propaganda. Unfortunately for her, as will be the case on the current strike, this will back fire again on her. Lob Sec students and others in this country are within their right to complain that they are not being taught at all. It is true there is no meaningful teaching currently going on in schools. If the Minister doubts this, let there be an independent and impartial commission of inquiry to visit all the secondary schools in Botswana. At one stage, students in South Africa staged uprisings successfully and this has happened in several other countries. The Minister should be working tirelessly towards resolving the matter. The same crisis that engulfed the examinations last year and leading to the late release of results will repeat itself this year. For starters, moderation of external examinations should have started and the projects have not been done because the teachers are on strike. A lot of syllabus material has not been covered and will not be covered because of the "no pay, no work" principle. The material not covered does not only affect the Form 4s, but all students in schools from primary to tertiary. Of course it is worse for the Standard 7s, Form 3s and Form 5s. If it is true the students are demanding to be taught, the parents should join them.
During the poorly run and controversy ridden examinations last year, BOSETU warned the MOE&SD not to engage inexperienced and unqualified invigilators. The Minister who was on the forefront and appearing on state media several times defended the position of employing such. The 2010 results were released very late this year and the Form 4s have not been taught up to now. BOSETU cautions the Minister again not to engage retired and inexperienced graduates for the same reasons. Those unemployed Batswana should not allow themselves to be used by the Ministry of Education.
