Gaborone, Botswana – Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, says the government is implementing reforms aimed at strengthening the teaching profession through improved welfare and incentives.
Speaking at the Ministerial Session of the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA) in Botswana, he said the government has introduced policies to attract and retain teachers, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
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He mentioned incentive packages such as paid study leave and the proposed “Teacher Dabre Programme,” which seeks to provide accommodation for teachers in remote areas facing housing challenges.
Dr Apaak said the reforms are anchored on the need for motivated and well-trained teachers, stressing that teachers remain central to national education development.
He noted that infrastructure challenges in the education sector are being addressed, while highlighting the difficulties teachers face in rural postings, including long travel distances and unsafe routes involving water crossings and poor roads.
He also said the government is expanding Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education at the basic level through the provision of “STEM boxes,” which offer practical learning tools developed by local innovators.
Dr Apaak further outlined social interventions, including the distribution of over 12 million sanitary pad packs to schoolgirls last year, with GHS292 million allocated this year to sustain the programme and address period poverty.
He added that free tertiary education for persons with disabilities has been implemented, with plans to extend free education and assistive devices to learners with special needs at all levels.
