21 Aug 2024

To revolutionise the country’s education system, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development in collaboration with UNICEF, has officially launched the ‘Botswana Learning Passport’, a digital learning platform aimed at enhancing educational accessibility and interactivity.

Speaking at the  launch on Wednesday at Mogoditshane Senior Secondary School, the Minister of Education and Skills Development Honourable Dr Douglas Letsholathebe highlighted that Botswana Learning Passport aligned with the Outcome-Based Education system introduced in 2022, focusing on incorporating digital technology and 21st-century skills to empower learners throughout the nation.

“The Learning Passport is designed to provide quality education through a multitude of services,” Minister Letsholathebe stated, unveiling the platform’s various features. The comprehensive learning management system includes content for all curriculum subjects, e-library services, revision materials, and a mechanism for tracking learner performance.

“Digital inclusion is paramount,” he added, emphasising the platform’s ability to facilitate flexible, self-paced learning opportunities for students across Botswana. Dr Letsholathebe further underscored the transformative potential of the Botswana Learning Passport, highlighting its crucial role in democratising education and ensuring that even disadvantaged learners could benefit from quality educational resources.

The launch of the Botswana Learning Passport marks a significant step forward in the country’s commitment to modernising education and fostering an inclusive learning environment for all students.

Elaborating on the features and benefits of the Botswana Learning Passport, Dr Letsholathebe painted a picture of a technology-driven education revolution. He said the platform, developed in partnership with UNICEF, was designed specifically for Botswana schools, promoting flexible learning and ensuring education continuity, regardless of the learner’s location.

He emphasised that the platform was meant to supplement both formal and non-formal education programmes, providing a diverse array of interactive learning resources that could be accessed via mobile devices and computers.

Minister Letsholathebe also discussed the accessibility of the Botswana Learning Passport, revealing that it was already available in its online form for use in schools and that an offline version was on its way, ensuring that learners in areas with limited or no internet connectivity would also be able to access the platform’s educational content.

He further stressed that the introduction of the platform would not only address challenges that arise from traditional face-to-face education, but would also provide learners with skills that were vital in the ever-changing digital world.

UNICEF representative Dr Joan Matji shed light on the platform’s widespread adoption, explaining that the platform, developed in collaboration with Microsoft and UNICEF during the COVID-19 pandemic, had already been adopted in numerous countries worldwide, including developed nations such as Italy, Poland, and Brazil, highlighting the universal need for bridging the education gap.

“The Learning Passport is already widely used in African countries like eSwatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Ghana,” she said, and stressing the worldwide adoption of the Learning Passport.  Dr  Matji again noted that as of January 2024, the platform expanded to 38 countries, serving over six million users and offering more than 13 000 courses. Ends