New driving school rules will impoverish Batswana- Moswaane

SESUPO RANTSIMAKO

FRANCISTOWN: Francistown West MP, Ignatious Moswaane, has written the Office of the President (OP) to protest the newly amended guidelines for driving schools by the Department of Road Transport and Safety (DRTS).
Moswaane says the new guidelines must be suspended as they will push Batswana out of business and increase unemployment which government purports to be tackling.
“This is a strategy that is meant to impoverish most Batswana and enrich the elite because to start a driving school will be more expensive as opposed to before the implementation of the new guidelines,” he told The Botswana Gazette.
The new requirements are that applicants for driving school permits should have land of a minimum area of 50x100m for Class B or 100×100 for additional classes, administration office and classroom for a minimum of 10 occupants. In addition, the driving school instructors should be certified and accredited by Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA).
In his letter, Moswaane argues that the new guidelines should be set aside as they will render old driving instructors unqualified.
“Instructors are required to attend a trainer course which costs over P7000 while Botswana Qualification Authority accreditation costs P15 000. In addition the driving school will be required to pay P10 000 for each course it wants accredited. Clearly this regulation will cause a national concern since 99 percent of existing driving schools will be closed which is a serious disadvantage to efforts of jobs creation in the country. Therefore, this letter request the immediate suspension of these regulations until further notice to allow for a proper assessment and consultation,” said Moswaane in a letter also copied to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.