Education’s worst nightmare

Botswana Education system is facing its worst embarrassment in its history following the confirmation that the results of the 2012 examination had multiple errors in candidate results and errors in communication with different stakeholders.

Both Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) and Botswana Examination Council BEC face a mammoth task to restore lost public confidence which would come as a result of the confirmation of the findings of the team appointed to conduct an internal audit into the operations of Botswana Examinations Council (BEC) on the shameful 2012 national schools examinations. The report has not yet been made public, and it remains uncertain if it will ever be.

The same applies to the BEC Board and or the Council whom although have been credited for heeding the public call and appointed the investigation team. They too have not escaped the intensive investigation of the team as they have been found sleeping on the job. The auditors found that the Governing Council oversight role is weak and it has not effectively discharged its role in monitoring the operations of BEC in particular the BNEPS project based on documentation and interview reports. There is no evidence that Council approved the changes in scope and expenditure that fall within its purview save for the change in contract price from P10. 053 Million to P13 Million. The main purpose of the internal investigation audit was to, among other things, establish what happened during the 2012 examination cycle with particular emphasis on the Junior Certificate Examinations, suggest ways to enhance the examination process, and make recommendations relevant to the conduct of examinations and assist the BEC to best deliver on its mandate.