‘MORE WILL DIE!’
BTU President urges government to act
“Teachers have lost lives and more will die!”
Despite the bitter winter winds, it was these chilling words from Botswana Teachers Union ( BTU) President, Gotlamang Oitsile, that caused the biggest shiver among the crowd.
Speaking at the officially opening of the Teachers Day celebrations at Travel Lodge (Gaborone) on Saturday, Oitsile highlighted the devastating, deadly impact Covid-19 has had on schools across the country.
“Schools were forced to close. Copious amounts of learning time has been lost and is still being lost under the reduced hours of learning to lower the risk of the spread of Covid-19.
“Teachers are afraid and stressed. Covid-19 is also exacerbating pre-existing disparities in education. It is the most vulnerable children and youths - especially those from poor households and rural areas - who experience the greatest and longest lasting disruptions to learning.”
Oitsile also reiterated the union’s view that schools should be closed until the virus is completely subdued.
“We are concerned that Botswana has sent teachers back to school before Covid-19 is brought under control. We want teaching and learning to continue but we are not prepared to needlessly trade teachers’ lives for our children’s education. Re-opening should only occur when the safety of all is assured. Further, it must be undertaken with the full and sincere engagement of teachers,” were his powerful words.
He was also quick to voice BTU’S disappointment that teachers have not been prioritised for vaccination.
Oitsile further noted Co
vid-19 has badly affected government revenues and thus as a union they join the United Nations in calling for the protection of education financing.
“Education is too important an enabler of development for its funding to be compromised. We must preserve spending on education through a combination of reduction of inefficiencies in education spending and innovative measures to mobilise additional resources,” he declared.
Moving away from the pandemic, Oitsile urged government to push for universal connectivity in schools.
“In the interim, the government must ensure access to connectivity in all its schools and for all teachers at home in order to realise the benefits of digitisation.”
Listing what he believes should be some of government’s priorities going forward, Oitsile said, “Strengthen education data capabilities and monitoring of learning, strengthen articulation and flexibility across levels and types of education and training, and to take remediation measures to address learning losses and prevent dropouts, especially among vulnerable groups such as children and youths from poor households and rural areas.”