11 Mar 2025

 Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education has created permanent positions for Boarding Assistants in Botswana primary and secondary schools, but has been stifled by lack of funds to fill them, minister Dr Nono Kgafela-Mokoka says.

Responding to questions posed by Member of Parliament for Maun West, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama in Parliament on Monday, she said the ministry engaged 2 244 temporary boarding assistants since 2019.

She said temporary boarding assistants were appointed on contract terms of 12 months at a salary grade of C4, which translated to P9 037 per month for Diploma qualification holders and C3 translating to P10 591 per month. She said she was not happy with their terms of employment and the plan was to source funds for a permanent solution. 

Dr Kgafela-Mokoka said the role of temporary boarding assistants in schools was to monitor the wellbeing of boarding students in a hostel by supervising daily cleaning of hostels, kitchen and its equipment. She said the assistants carried out inspection of kitchen equipment to check losses and damages and made necessary recommendations.

She said they were also tasked with safeguarding all equipment provided to boarding students as well as keeping records of all boarding students and ensuring their whereabouts were accurate and up to date. 

She said the assistants were maintaining order in and around the hostels by monitoring boarding students’ movement and behavior to ensure they obeyed school regulations. 

She said they also managed compliance to Safety Health and Environment (SHE) protocols and standards at the hostels.

Mr Mr Hikuama had asked the minister to explain the role of temporary boarding assistants in Botswana primary and secondary schools and to state the terms and conditions of their employment including salaried per month.

He had further asked her to state the total number of temporary boarding assistants engaged by her ministry since 2019. ENDS