Publications

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲

𝟭. Mr Speaker Tertiary education financing is a critical component of the Ministry of Education and Skills Development programmes and plays a key role in achieving Vision 2036, specifically Pillar 2: 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. This, in turn, supports the goals of Pillar 1: 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, in keeping with the National Transformation Strategy adopted in 2023. Human capital plays a critical role in the development of the economy.

𝟮. Mr Speaker, I would like to update Parliament on the progress made in the implementation of the Tertiary Education Sponsorship Cycle for the 2024/2025 academic year.

Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development was allocated a budget of P3,082,956,230 (𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘆-𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗮) for tertiary education funding this year.

The budget breakdown is as follows;

P1,746,782,910.00 (𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗡𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗮) is allocated for the payment of tuition fees to various education and training providers. This amount is managed by the Ministry of Finance.

P1, 336, 173,320.00 (𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆-𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝟭 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆-𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗮) is designated for student allowances, medical expenses, and transport costs.

𝟯. Mr Speaker, the Ministry sponsorship covers Pre-service Post­ Secondary up to Post Graduate level in some selected programmes like Top Achievers and Psychology. The Ministry sponsor students locally and externally to undertake their studies. To date the Ministry has a total of 𝟯𝟳 𝟰𝟯𝟱 who are currently studying in local institutions while 𝟱𝟵𝟭 are studying abroad in different countries and universities.

𝟰. Mr Speaker, students are sponsored under different sponsorship categories as follows:

𝗜. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆 - being students who are freshly graduating from form 5 under the BGCSE or IGCSE curricular. The new students' category is made up of mainstream students who have attained 𝟯𝟲 points and above as well as 𝟯𝟭 points cut-off point for special dispensation programme consisting of the orphans, students with special educational needs as well as those residing in remote areas. There are a total of 𝟭𝟭 𝟭𝟴𝟬 New Students who have been sponsored.

𝗜𝗜. 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 - The entry requirement for Top Achiever Programme is a minimum 6 A*. The main objective of this programmeas is to motivate and inspire learners to excel in their studies. To date a total of 𝟲𝟵𝟵 have graduated under the programme from inception while a total of 𝟰𝟮𝟮 are currently studying externally and 𝟭𝟰𝟯 have been placed locally to undertake their A-levels. For those who graduated, 𝟭𝟳 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 PhD qualification, while 𝟮𝟴𝟭 hold Master's Degree qualification 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟰𝟬𝟭 Bachelor's Degrees.

𝗜𝗜𝗜. 𝗕𝗦𝗖 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲-𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻- Within the mainstream local placement, the Ministry has an arrangement in which the University of Botswana trains students in BSC General Programme. At the completion of year 1, the students are career designated into different science-based career pathways such as medicine and engineering. For the current year a total of 𝟮𝟮𝟰 have been career designated and placed locally while 𝟱𝟬 are being currently processed for external regional placement.

𝗜𝗩. 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 - The Elite Sponsorship was established to develop sporting talents. A total 𝟯𝟭 are undergoing training while 9 were sponsored in current academic year.

𝗩. 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 - The Government has collaborations

with other countries and partners in which Donor scholarships are awarded to qualifying Batswana citizens to pursue their studies. To date a total of 𝟮𝟮 students are studying under the scholarships.

𝗩𝗜. 𝗥𝗲-𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽- those previously sponsored and were terminated from sponsorship due to various reasons including, poor academic performance; To this end a total of 𝟰 𝟲𝟭𝟯 students have been Re-sponsored this academic year.

𝗩𝗜𝗜. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 - those progressing from one level of study to the next, e.g. From Certificate to Diploma level and from Diploma level to Degree levels. 𝟰𝟵𝟴 students have been sponsored currently.

Mr. Speaker, more students had applied for Re-sponsorship and Progression due to financial constraints we could not cover them all. For re-sponsorship priority was given to those whose credits were about to expire.

𝟱. Mr Speaker, in total, 𝟭𝟲 𝟮𝟵𝟭 students have been offered sponsorship across all the categories.

𝟲. In conclusion, Mr Speaker I wish to state that pursuant to Section 9 of the DTEF Memorandum of Agreement signed with the students, "repeat sponsorship is not an entitlement and may be granted at the discretion of Government upon receipt of an application for such by the students". I wish to appreciate the support given by Honourable Members in assisting and giving information to your constituents who are also our clients and implore you to continue with this service and collegial spirit.

I thank you Mr Speaker.