Newsletter Vol. 10 No. 1: Community Financing of Education In Botswana

Community participation and the involvement of partnerships in the development and management of education is not unique to Botswana or for that matter to any one place in the world. Invariably there are examples of community involvement the world over. The literature review in this paper⁽¹⁾ makes this point quite clearly. So what is it that makes Botswana an interesting case study? It is the idea of a partnership venture on a national scale for the provision of Basic Education at the junior secondary level. How did this come about?

The greater part of the paper provides an historical overview of community involvement and participation in education right from its inception in the pre-colonial era up to the present time. Particular focus is given to the financing aspects. Community schools were born as a response to the restricted access to primary education during the colonial era. Communities began a system of community schooling under their respective Chieftainships and other organized mechanisms.

The Independence era saw a diminishing role of community involvement mainly because the government was in the process of establishing new structures. Primary education was brought under the control of the District Councils. On the other hand, secondary education, which was hitherto totally neglected by the Colonial administration, was brought under the direct centralized control of the government.

However it was becoming very evident within the first decade after Independence that the government was not able to meet the ever increasing demand for secondary education. Therefore, it was not very surprising to find that communities were once more mobilizing their efforts. Albeit this time, the emphasis was on secondary education.

It is significant to note that the government set up its first National Commission on Education almost a decade after independence, in 1976. The report produced by the commission was to be used as a blue print for the development of education in Botswana for the next two decades.

It acknowledged the role of communities in the development and provision of education. Three very crucial points were made. First, that if government was to try and universalize secondary education then clearly it would not be able to achieve this goal on its own. Second, that communities had a long history of financing education in Botswana. Third, that the day-school model of the community school which offered a three year junior secondary education, was much more cost effective than the full five year (junior + senior secondary education) boarding-school model that the government had established. This report paved the way for the government to enter into a partnership venture with the communities.

In the 1980's such partnerships were strongly supported by the World Bank. Thus, the Botswana government was able to attract and obtain World Bank funding that would help the country achieve the goal of ten years basic education for all.

What does the partnership entail? The local communities were inter-alia expected to elect a local Board of Governors, provide land for building the schools, build half the number of required staff houses, manage the schools and be responsible for the recurrent expenditures of the schools. The government was expected to build and furnish the schools with the assistance of the World Bank. In addition, it would provide teachers and control the curriculum to ensure the quality and equity of education. These were well thought out ideas.

The outcome of this plan was that each community would have its own school and the local people would be involved in the planning, management and decision making of their school. Unfortunately, the long- term effects were not carefully examined and an oversight by the government in properly conceiving the role of the board of governors caused the government to eventually take over the schools.

However, the paper notes that the sparkle of community involvement and participation is by no means over by a good measure! This is due to the many gaps still existing in the provision of basic education in Botswana. For a host of reasons, many children still do not go to school. Clearly the government cannot go the distance alone. Demands for senior secondary education, vocational and technical education and specialized training are on the increase. This underscores the need for re-examining the role of partnerships. However the scope should go beyond communities to include Non- Government Organizations and the private sector.

A number of lessons can be learned from the Botswana community junior secondary school venture. This can help pave the way for a more effective and participatory development and provision of education.

Based on a paper entitled
"Community Financing of Education in Botswana"
by Fazlud Moorad

(1) This article summarizes a paper entitled
"Community Financing of Education in
Botswana" which was presented at the
Pan-African Seminar on the Financing and the
Financial Management of Education
(Dakar, October 12-14 1997)