Introduce vocational education at primary schools

No one can deny that our education system has slid into an abyss. The just- released Botswana Junior Certificate ( JC) results have made one thing clear; our education system is in a very bad state.

And it has been in such a state for many years now.

Every year, our students perform badly at primary, junior, and higher education final examinations. Even when there is an improvement in performance it is so minute that it does not make any difference.

Botswana has done relatively well in achieving universal access to primary education since the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration.

But achieving Millennium Development Goal ( MDG) 2 on access to primary education is not, in itself a means to an end if the quality of education is sadly appalling.

The poor quality of education is hurting the economy in every way as more dropouts lead to an increase in poverty and an expanded social safety net.

There can be no development, dignity, and democracy if the current government fails to deliver quality education. If President Mokgweetsi Masisi is committed to eradicating poverty and reducing Ipelegeng dependants, his dedication to education should be steadfast.

Numbers don’t lie.

Of the 46 232 candidates who sat for the final JC examination last year, only 32.56 percent were able to attain an overall grade C or better, indicating a decrease of 0.6 percent from the 2020 results.

This means 67.44 percent of the total 46 232 of the candidates obtained overall grades D, E, U, or X. Furthermore 15 811 of the total students who sat for the 2021 examination obtained either grade E, U, or X. Sadly this means 15 811 students will not proceed to senior secondary schools. This is the number that our education system has ejected out into the streets.

It is so painful because this same number of young children will add to the already rising unemployment figures. Last year 12 342 students were also thrown out into the streets because they obtained grades that will not allow them to proceed to senior secondary schools.

In a space of two years close to 30 000 students have joined the already growing number of unemployed.

The situation is made even more undesirable by the fact that our vocational training system is also in a sorry state. This calls for a holistic approach by the relevant stakeholders, including parents to fix our education system.

Government should invest more in vocational training. Vocational Training Centres should absorb more students. Fixing our education system should also include removing the stigma associated with vocational training.

The perception that vocational training centres are only reserved for school dropouts who are not ‘ academically endowed,’ should be dealt with by introducing vocational education at primary schools.