Government Agencies in Botswana

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development is responsible for public education in Botswana, from primary to tertiary level, including the Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning, but not the University of Botswana and affiliated institutions. The Botswana Examinations Council conducts exams at key stages as required by the Ministry. The Tertiary Education Council regulates tertiary institutions, conducts planning and research, and advises government. Botswana Training Authority monitors and regulates vocational education and training.

Public spending on education was 7.8% of GDP in 2009.

The current national plan, the Tenth National Development Plan, runs to 2016, the year by which, according to Vision 2016; Towards Prosperity for All, the nation’s long-term goals are to be achieved. This Tenth Plan is the first to incorporate a results-based approach. It was also the first to establish thematic working groups in order to involve all the development partners in the plan preparation process.

The goals of Vision 2016 are of a nation that is educated and informed; prosperous, productive and innovative; compassionate and caring; open, democratic and accountable; and moral and tolerant. Under the Tenth Plan, these goals are mapped onto policy outcomes that can be expressed as targets and monitored; for example, in education, the policy outcomes are improvements in the relevance, quality and access to education; and access to ICT in all schools.

The Government of Botswana’s philosophy of basic education asserts that high quality education is a fundamental human right. It aims to promote all-round development of the individual; fostering of intellectual growth and creativity; empowerment of citizens to achieve their full potential; encouragement of moral, ethical and social values, cultural identity, self-esteem and good citizenship; and preparation of citizens to participate actively in further developing the principle of democracy.

In line with the government’s philosophy, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development aims to ensure equal access to and quality of education for learners with special needs, including children with visual or hearing impairment, mental handicap, learning disabilities and physical disabilities. The ministry also offers grants to NGOs offering educational rehabilitation.