28 Jul 2024

Ministry of Education and Skills Development will not consider the teacher training colleges (TTCs) for alternative use because government has a responsibility to produce teachers for public schools.

Responding to a question in Parliament, the Assistant Minister Mr Aubrey Lesaso said government had the responsibility to ensure that there were enough teachers in public schools for all the subjects offered, therefore the dedicated teacher training colleges were still relevant as contributors to human resource development in Botswana.

Mr Lesaso said consideration could however be made for shared use of facilities provided there was no conflict of interest with the primary mandate of the colleges as provided by government.

He said the projected average enrolment for teacher training was expected to increase towards the capacity of 1 000 for each college over the next five years, ‘subject to availability of resources such as equipment and skilled human resources.’

He said that was in line with the government’s decision to upgrade the colleges of education to offer programmes at bachelor’s degree level.

Mr Lesaso said the five year average enrolment for TTC were 333 at Tonota TTC, 330 for Molepolole TTC and 428 for Serowe TTC.

With regards to future use of Lobatse Teacher Training College, Mr Lesaso said there were no plans for the purpose of producing teachers because there were two other institutions being Serowe and Tlokweng Colleges of Education, which served that purpose.

He pointed out that Lobatse TTC will continue being used for other government business.

Lobatse MP, Dr Thapelo Matsheka, had asked the minister to state the five year average enrolment rates for teacher training colleges in Botswana focusing on Tonota, Molepolole and Serowe colleges of education.

Dr Matsheka wanted to know the projected average rates over the same period to justify the existence of the colleges. He further wanted to know if they would consider on the basis of the enrolment rates, alternative use of the colleges including leasing to private education providers.

Moreover he wanted to know whether dedicated teacher training colleges were still relevant as contributors to human resource development in the country as well as the future plans for Lobatse Training College. Ends