BTU urges government to swiftly address teachers’ plight
- This year’s World Teachers Day theme aptly draws attention to the struggles of local teachers
BONGANI MALUNGA
The Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) has called on the government to swiftly address the challenges faced by teachers across the country. BTU president Goitsemang Oitsile made the plea in a public statement last weekend, commemorating the 2024 World Teachers’ Day. This year’s theme is “Valuing Teacher Voices, Towards a New Social Contract for Education.”
Drawing attention
The theme aptly highlights the struggles of local teachers, who face accommodation shortages, live in uninhabitable teachers’ quarters, and deal with an inadequate supply of learning materials. Oitsile stated that the theme underscores the urgent need for teachers’ voices to be heard.
The issue of teachers’ accommodation was raised in Parliament in August, where the Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr. Douglas Letsholathebe, acknowledged that the P150 million allocated for refurbishments was insufficient.
Challenging circumstances
The BTU president emphasized that teachers play a vital role in shaping the country’s future leaders, but they do so under challenging conditions. “Teachers in our country continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the future by nurturing students and driving educational progress. However, they do all this under difficult circumstances, including shortages of learning materials, dilapidated houses and classrooms, and unresolved issues stemming from the lack of a sectoral bargaining platform,” said Oitsile.
“The union continues to engage the government to voice teachers’ concerns and push for solutions. Through these engagements, we are confident that teachers’ voices will be valued when decisions affecting their progression are made,” Oitsile added.
Decolonising education
The BTU has also joined the “Decolonising Education” campaign, which, according to Oitsile, calls for governments to respond to Africans’ needs by developing curricula created by African scholars. “These campaigns align with the World Teachers’ Day celebration theme, which seeks to recognize teachers’ voices in shaping educational policies and legislation to influence decision-making processes regarding their profession,” Oitsile concluded.