Education is a social right that ought not to be taken for granted. This was said by Molepolole South Member of Parliament and Chairman of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Daniel Kwelagobe, at the official opening of Raising Education Within Africa (REWA) centre.
Kwelagobe said that the education expenditure has increased at an annual rate of 4 per cent over the last decade in Botswana because the aim is to provide a high quality education.
He further said that this is reflected on the key education policies that mainly deal with the education system in Botswana.
Kwelagobe added that the Vision 2016 pillar of an Educated and Informed Nation complements the National Development Plan (NDP) 10, which aims to provide an adequate supply of more resources as far as the education fraternity is concerned.
According to Kwelagobe, the country is on a mission to meet the education standards and guarantee the children’s future by being signatories to the millennium development goals. He further said that these goals serve as important pillars that aim to improve lives as well as the standard of education. He said that the general statistics derived from the recent population census indicate the standards of education have gone up within the age groups of 15-24 at 93 percent, 7-20 at 85 percent and a 99 percent of transition to secondary school.
Kwelagobe praised REWA as a groundbreaking project and a milestone in the education system of Botswana. He said that it sets Botswana apart from the rest of the countries in the world and hopes that the centre will nurture talent and help children with special needs. He added that the centre also serves as a foundation of public progress in democracy.
On her part, the founder of the center Priyanka Handa said that REWA is inspired by the children of Botswana and is for the children of Botswana. She said that the centre aims to empower people to rise above the ordinary.
Handa conceded that she was thrilled that the centre is already fully operational and that parents have already booked their children for assessment on Monday.
REWA offers a variety of services, including tutoring for mathematics and English, storytelling workshops, children’s book clubs, teacher training seminars, among many others.
Present at the opening of the centre were the Botswana Democratic Party Treasurer, Satar Dada, and former First Ladies, Mma Gaone and Mma Nametso.
