Teachers’ unions say Botswana’s education spending has not adequately improved overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating infrastructure or educators’ working conditions.
GAZETTE REPORTER
Education unions have launched an international campaign against the government for increased public investment in school infrastructure, teacher support and learning resources.
In a country report presented during the Education International (EI) Southern Africa Sub-Regional Workshop on the Go Public! Fund Education campaign, the three EI-affiliated unions-Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU), Botswana Teachers’ Union (BTU) and Trainers and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) warn that government spending commitments have yet to translate into better conditions for learners and educators. They further raised concerns over persistent deficiencies in public schools.
The report argues that quality public education cannot be achieved through budget allocations alone but requires funding to reach classrooms and communities where it is most needed.
Although the government has continued to prioritise education spending and reforms, the unions said policy commitments have not translated into improved working and learning conditions.
They identified inadequate sanitation facilities, overcrowded classrooms, ageing boarding facilities and insufficient maintenance of deteriorating school buildings as some of the challenges confronting public schools.
The unions also warned that an excessive focus on digital transformation and curriculum reform risks overlooking the daily realities facing learners and educators, potentially undermining teaching conditions and learning outcomes.
“Quality public education begins with quality funding,” the report states. It emphasises the need for resources to reach schools, educators to receive adequate support and learning environments to be safe and properly maintained.
Botswana allocated the equivalent of 7.1 percent of GDP to education in its 2026/27 budget cycle, demonstrating what the unions described as a significant national commitment to the sector.
However, they maintained that increased funding would have limited impact if implementation remained ineffective and resources failed to reach priority areas.
The report further points to delays in maintenance programmes, warning that these contribute to rising costs and the continued deterioration of school infrastructure.
Teacher Welfare
Beyond infrastructure, the unions have intensified advocacy around educators’ welfare and professional conditions, with salaries, career progression and teacher welfare featuring prominently in their engagements with government.
One notable development highlighted in the report is the establishment of the Botswana Teaching Professionals Council (BOTEPCO), which was created to address longstanding professional issues within the education sector.
The unions have also used collective bargaining, social dialogue, parliamentary engagement and legal action to push for improved remuneration, working conditions and education policy reforms.
However, the report raises concern over delays in resolving court cases and failures to implement court orders, which it says undermine efforts to defend educators’ rights and professional interests.
The unions also acknowledged challenges in expanding membership, noting that some potential members continue to perceive trade unions primarily as providers of financial services rather than organisations fighting for sustainable reforms.
Despite these challenges, the report says, BOSETU, BTU and TAWU reaffirmed their commitment to fighting for adequate education funding, professional dignity for teachers and improved learning