The Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) has welcomed plans by the African Hero partnership to construct 100 schools and 50 clinics across Botswana, but wants Government to disclose the full terms of the arrangement.
The union says that while the project could ease classroom overcrowding, create employment and improve access to education and healthcare, questions remain over how the investors were selected and what obligations Government has assumed.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, BTU Secretary General Norman Baraedi said the union could not remain silent on matters of transparency, accountability and the protection of public education.
“The union cannot remain silent on critical issues of process, transparency, accountability, and the protection of public education as a fundamental right and public good,” Baraedi said.
BTU said there was no clear information available to the public explaining how the investors or partners behind the project were identified.
According to the union, the lack of information raises legitimate questions about fairness, value for money and accountability.
It also wants Government to clarify whether the proposed schools and clinics are outright donations or whether the agreement creates present or future obligations for the country.
The union said the public deserved to know whether Government would be responsible for repayments, land, maintenance, staffing or other operational costs.
It also questioned whether the investors could receive concessions, naming rights, operational control, preferential treatment or other benefits in return for constructing the facilities.
BTU called on Government to disclose details of the selection process, the legal framework, contractual terms and all financial and non-financial obligations attached to the initiative.
It further wants independent oversight and regular public reporting to ensure that the proposed schools remain under public ownership and control.
“Citizens and stakeholders deserve full transparency,” the union said.
Despite its concerns, BTU acknowledged that the project could provide much-needed relief to Botswana’s education system.
The union said teachers and learners had endured overcrowded classrooms for years, with class sizes frequently exceeding the recommended 30 learners in many primary and secondary schools. In some schools, classes have 50 or more learners.
The shortage of classrooms has forced some schools to introduce double shifts, use makeshift learning spaces and, in extreme cases, conduct lessons outdoors.
BTU said many schools also lacked specialist rooms, furniture, ablution facilities and accommodation for teachers. Some existing facilities were in poor or dilapidated condition.
The union believes the construction of 100 schools could create jobs for unemployed graduate teachers, allow temporary teachers to be absorbed and increase access to education.
It could also reduce overcrowding, give learners more individual attention and stimulate economic activity in communities where the schools are constructed.
However, BTU warned that the benefits would depend on the timely completion and fair distribution of the schools, particularly in underserved areas.
It said Government must recruit enough teachers to ensure the project does not simply move overcrowding from existing schools to newly constructed facilities.
Teacher accommodation, furniture, teaching materials, reliable utilities and internet connectivity should also form part of the project, particularly as the education system moves towards Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
BTU also welcomed the planned construction of 50 clinics, saying improved access to healthcare could help prevent diseases, increase life expectancy and protect families from financial hardship caused by medical expenses.
The union, however, insisted that the initiative must not open the door to the privatisation or commercialisation of public education.
“Education is a fundamental human right and public good that must remain publicly funded, publicly accountable and accessible to all,” BTU said.
