Unions demand more funding for Botswana schools
Teachers' unions say government spending has not improved overcrowded classrooms or school infrastructure.
Teachers' unions in Botswana have launched an international campaign demanding that the government increase public investment in school infrastructure, teacher support and learning resources. The Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU), the Botswana Teachers' Union (BTU) and the Trainers and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) presented a country report at the Education International (EI) Southern Africa Sub-Regional Workshop.
Among the problems the unions listed are poor sanitation, classrooms packed beyond capacity, ageing boarding facilities and school buildings that are falling apart for lack of upkeep. Despite rising government spending on education, the unions say those commitments have not yet reached classrooms or the people working in them.
The report argues that a larger budget alone will not produce quality public education unless money actually reaches schools and communities that need it most. It states that schools must be safe and properly maintained and that teachers must receive adequate support.
Why it mattersLearners in overcrowded classrooms and teachers working in deteriorating buildings are the people the unions say are still waiting for the funding that government has promised.