Botswana's Bushmen running late in reaping benefits of education system (A feature by Meekaeel Siphambili)
Gaborone, Botswana (PANA) - Since independence in 1966, all Batswana (citizens of Botswana) have enjoyed free access to basic education.
The free basic education has, however, not been a guarantee for success for all as many did not value education or see it a necessity.
Every Motswana (citizen of Botswana) is entitlement to 10 years of basic education since the introduction of the Revised National Policy on Education (RNPE) in 1994.
The RNPE states that there should be 100 percent enrolment of school going age children. There should be 100 percent support to access free education, free hostel accommodation for children registered under the Remote Areas Dwellers Programme (RADP) and those registered for social services support as the ‘needy’.
The Basarwa, The San, also known as the Bushmen, rejected education in large volumes mostly due to the discrimination the San people were subjected to by other Batswana. Over the years voluntary and mandatory efforts have been undertaken by the Botswana government and other public or private entities to combat discrimination, and to promote equal opportunities in education and employment for all.
There is access to schools irrespective of social background, ethnicity and geographical location.
Different systems have been put in place to address issues of inclusivity for Remote Areas Communities (RAC) children who are mostly Basarwa (San).
Quite a significant number of RAC children are enrolled in different tertiary institutions. Different support systems and structures are available to ensure sustainability and career growth for RAC children.
“Public education has been seen as necessary to prevent discrimination of RAC children. There are tailor-made policies for RAC students, for example, special dispensation programmes, provision of social support services such as provision of basic needs, access to boarding facilities, pageantry projects," says Margaret Thabeng, a school head at Maisane Primary School.
"Special database for Remote Area Communities/Out of school Vulnerable Children (RAC/OVC) graduates. There is normally a support reference letter from social workers to aid any RAC child or student in anything that would empower them,” added Thabeng.
According to her, the Affirmative Action Framework for Remote Area Communities (RACs) is guided by the Revised National Policy for Rural Development (Government Paper No. 3 of 2002), National Strategy on Poverty Reduction and Revised Remote Area Development Programme (RADP) of 2009, which provides broad strategies that various sectors are to pursue to promote accelerated development in recognised remote area settlements.
“There is a Presidential Directive CAB 39 (B) of 2010 which states that an affirmative action oriented plan for RADP be developed. It covers affirmative action in all aspects of social empowerment for example, employment, training, social and economic development. The directive is being implemented over a period of 10 years from 2015 until 2025 to allow Remote Area Communities (RACs) to build their capacity to compete for available opportunities meaningfully,” said Thabeng, who is on study leave and furthering her studies in Education Management at the University of Botswana.
There is now a Special Dispensation for RAC students, lowering the aggregate by 5 points for them (36 – 5 = 31 points). There is no assessment to access educational services, they have extended support in tertiary institutions such as assistance in writing assignments, consideration for submission deadlines and they have favourable considerations for re-taking failed courses.
The Botswana government has introduced the San Youth Capacity Building Component (San Research Centre in the University of Botswana) whose aim is identification of potential Basarwa youth for scholarships, assistance with application procedures and scholarship funding.
Every system has its short comings and Botswana’s education system is not an exception. The education system is riddled with alcohol and substance abuse, teenage pregnancies due to accessibility to modern technology.
Students can now use the internet to order drugs of their choice worldwide. At an early age children access websites with pornography which somehow stimulate their sexual activeness and that leads to teenage pregnancies at either primary or secondary school.
The San students are not left behind in alcohol abuse.The San are lovers of alcohol which they start drinking at a very early age, as early as 6 years.
They are famous for deserting school, they normally run away from school and go back to the bush and continue game hunting.
Another flaw is alleged to be that students proceed from primary education to junior secondary and to senior secondary school irrespective of how they performed.
“This is a killer approach because enrolment to junior secondary school and to senior secondary school is not of quality but of quantity. The enrolment of low quality grades is a waste of funds and resources. The students who performed badly at primary and junior secondary school never do better in senior secondary school,” says a teacher who asked to stay anonymous.
Because of challenges like alcohol and substance abuse, teenage pregnancies and absorption of low grades into secondary schools a high number of students fail and that is loss of human resource. The un-resourceful and incompetent students are forced to roam the streets and add statistics to crime.
-0- PANA MS/MA 21Feb2019
