MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE COMMITS DEVELOPMENTAL BUDGET TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE AND DIGITISATION

Article By: Rorisang Mogojwe

The ministry of Education and Skills Development, MoESD will prioritize spending of developmental budget on its recently adopted, digitalization agenda, infrastructure development as well as the transformation of Botswana Examination Council, BEC.

Minister Dr Douglass Letsholathebe recently informed parliament that out of the 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗮 (𝗣𝟰𝟳𝟮 𝟭𝟴𝟲 𝟯𝟴𝟮) 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮 (𝗣𝟵𝟰, 𝟬𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬), will go towards maintaining various junior and senior secondary schools, particularly to repair burnt facilities across the country.

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝗶𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮 (𝗣𝟭𝟯𝟵, 𝟬𝟭𝟲,𝟯𝟴𝟮) will be put aside for expansion of various secondary schools to align infrastructure needs with student population and curriculum needs amongst key infrastructure undertakings.

As for digitisation, A total of 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝘄𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗣𝟭𝟭𝟮, 𝟬𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬) has been approved to drive the Digitalization agenda through which development of the Education Information Management System (EMIS) and development of the Labour Market Information System (LIMS) by HRDC will be undertaken. Key is also provision of laptops to Junior Secondary School teachers and lectures at technical colleges.

Approving the budget members of parliament called for an increase as challenges within the education sector require heavy capital investment.