Botswana Change Projects
In Botswana, all the Change Projects sought to implement SDG 4 in alignment to the Botswana’s Revised National Policy on Education of 1994, which is the overarching policy on which all other policies and programmes are anchored.
The Change Projects are aimed at showcasing ESD at the institutional level to effect change that would contribute to educational quality improvement and enhance the achievement of SDG 4 and other SDGs.
Change Projects focus on curricula innovations and institutional community engagement. They address Botswana’s policies, plans and strategies (Botswana’s Vision 2036, National Development Plan 11 (NDP 11), Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP 2015-2020), the National Human Resources Development Strategy and Outcome Based Education (OBE)). These policies place emphasis on quality education, universal access to education, equitable quality education and lifelong learning, which is a clear indication of their relevance to SDG 4-Education 2030.
In all the Change Projects there are plans for scaling for impact in the whole institution and community.
Change Project Stories
Re-use it or lose it: Botswana teachers convert rubbish into learning tools
Teacher trainers at Serowe College in Botswana have come up with an innovative solution: creating teaching materials from recycled rubbish.
Teacher trainers and student teachers collect, sort and clean waste material. Waste material is then used to create different learning tools like musical instruments, masks and toys. Student teachers are afforded the opportunity to explore their creative talent during this process.
Change Project: Reuse it or lose it: Botswana teachers convert rubbish into learning tools
Taswika Kanasi, Nthalivi Silo of University of Botswana
The ESD Challenge which the CoP identified was that firstly, the campus was littered with waste, and secondly, that “students displayed challenges in varying activities [and] … lacked creativity” as stated in the 2019 Teacher Practice Report. Their solution was to initiate an upcycling project to create imaginative teaching aids like masks, musical instruments and toys. The Head of the Music Department, Taswika Kanasi, led the CoP and remarked that, “The capacity building programme and training came at the right time. I found it rightful to engage in this Change Project in order to teach student teachers how to practically make their own resources and teach the young ones too.”
ESD was advanced in Serowe College through this change project in four distinct ways firstly, the college environment was cleaner because the management of litter was improved; secondly, useful teaching and learning aids and musical instruments were created; thirdly, the Educators and student teachers learnt how to include ESD into their teaching as well as becoming more creative; and lastly, the valuable lessons gained from SST will be included in the College’s strategic plan going forward.
Future assessment of primary school student teachers will include innovation and environmental sensitivity demonstrated by the student in the fabrication of teaching aids; and “the teaching of music will be improved by integrating environmental issues” (Report B, pg. 20). Beyond the college walls, Taswika Kanasi is a panel member of the Development of the Botswana General Certificate for Secondary Education (BGCSE) outcome-based syllabus and she intends to advocate for ESD in this forum. The CoP also sought out indigenous knowledge from community elders in surrounding villages regarding making musical instruments. This engendered an open-mindedness to learn from the elders and to appreciate their indigenous knowledge heritage. The Serowe College change project speaks to the policy gap identified which is the inadequate integration of ESD into teaching subjects and student teacher capacitation.
Change Project: Empowering the Gaborone Technical College student community with business education skills.
Botho Thobega, Nthalivi Silo of University of Botswana
This change project was designed to speak to an identified gap in national policy which is a lack of infusion of ESD into Technical Vocational Education and Training studies; and it makes a contribution toward SDGs 2030, Gaol 4 and Target 4.7. The CoP noticed that there was a lack of business skills amongst the student teachers of GTC which hampered them as they prepared to work in a knowledge economy.
The core idea of the CoP was to develop generative mechanisms in the teaching and learning practices at the college to provide student teachers with several opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills, office administration and accounting skills. This venture would serve the student teachers in both their professional and personal development. The CoP began by developing cohesiveness amongst themselves so that they could be well organised and effective as a large team. The CoP leader made a comment that, “It has made me know that for the implementation of my change project, I need to engage students. Also I should start with a group that I will be able to influence.” The CoP promoted the concept of a Business Clinic Centre as the seat of a learning network and they implemented workshops on relevant commercial skills. One of the first workshops was on minute taking during meetings. This workshop was so successful that a minute taking template was developed and adopted by the GTC Curriculum Committee for implementation through-out the institution. Going forward the CoP plans to hold a Market Day where student teachers will engage in event management, entrepreneurial skills, budgeting and environmental education. They also intend to continue running workshops and put up a Facebook page. Botho Thobega indicated that one of the greatest benefits of SST was learning the general principles and practices of a change project, and stated that “It has changed my mindset, the perspective through which I have been looking at things.” The CoP noted in their end-of-course reporting that the practice of group reflection resulted in ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking and novel solutions.