FRANCISTOWN: Failure by the Ministry of Education Skills and Development (MoESD) to find adequate Chemistry, Biology and Business Studies locally has prompted the ministry to extend their recruitment process to two more countries.
North Cast understands that initially recruitment was to be from Zimbabwe and Zambia but the ministry resolved to search from other countries after the total number of qualifying applicants were not enough. Ultimately Malawi and Mauritius were added on the list of countries that Botswana government is recruiting from.
The Ministry’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Silas Sehularo confirmed that they have extended their recruitment drive to Malawi and Mauritius. “The advertisements have been extended to Malawi and Mauritius because the number of qualifying applicants was not enough,” Sehularo stated.
The recruitment which started in March according to the Ministry Spokesperson will go on until they get enough teachers. “So far we have appointed 25 teachers and the process will go on until we get enough teachers,” highlighted Sehularo.
Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) Secretary General Tobokani Rari feels government should focus more on improving the conditions of the few available locals first. “Recruiting teachers externally while conditions have not improved does not help the situation because the government will keep on losing them for greener pastures. So the government is still making mistake by recruiting before improving conditions of scarce skills teachers,” he said adding that the continuous loss of these teachers to private sector is that in the teaching profession the scarce skill allowance is too low.
Rari emphasized that the government has blundered by recruiting foreign teachers before improving their conditions of service.
Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) Secretary General Ibo Kenosi was not available for comment as his phone rang unanswered