NONO MUST GO
Pressure is mounting on President Duma Gideon Boko to relieve Education Minister Nono Kgafela-Mokoka of her duties, as teacher unions say she is failing to bring the long-awaited change promised by the new government.
The Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) has openly declared their loss of faith in the Minister, describing her as the worst education leader the country has ever had.
One year since her appointment, they say the situation in schools has deteriorated further, accusing her of poor leadership and failure to understand the realities of the sector.
For decades, education has been one of Botswana’s most troubled ministries, a space where every minister has had to face the heat of controversy, and today Kgafela-Mokoka finds herself in that same deep pit.
It is one of the largest sectors in the country, with a massive and vocal population of teachers, students, parents, and administrators. That makes it almost impossible to hide problems; every mistake quickly finds its way into the public domain.
This was the reality under the Botswana Democratic Party, which ruled for 58 years before its ouster in 2024.
The ministry was notorious for changing Permanent Secretaries and Ministers, as the government tried to handle one crisis after another, from falling Form 5 results to angry unions and jobless youth.
Thousands of students left school each year with no qualifications, adding to the country’s already high unemployment rate.
When Batswana voted for change in 2024, they were hoping for a new direction.
The new government’s promises painted a picture of hope; sanitary pads for schoolgirls, increased student allowances, and better learning environments.
Those pledges gave people reason to believe that the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) understood the struggles faced by learners and teachers.
When President Boko appointed Kgafela-Mokoka in November last year, his message was clear: he wanted public schools to mirror private schools’ spaces that inspired excellence and joy.
He even spoke about improving school meals, hinting that students would soon enjoy English breakfast.
The appointment, at the time, seemed to signal that a transformation was finally within reach.
But a year later, teachers say those promises remain a pie in the sky.
BOSETU Publicity Secretary, Oreeditse Nyatso, says the minister has failed to grasp the complexity of the education sector and has instead focused on child welfare issues, sidelining teachers and other key players.
“We thought massive change was coming, but what we see now is worse than ever before. President Boko needs to rethink his decision. We have had many education ministers over the years, but Kgafela-Mokoka is the worst before our eyes,” he said.
Nyatso said that while addressing the welfare of children is important, it cannot be the ministry’s only priority. He accused the minister of ignoring teacher unions and avoiding meaningful dialogue.
“She has forgotten that teachers are important to this system. We expected her to engage with us within the first few months so we could work together to shape the new vision for education.
Instead, she makes public pronouncements without consultation and does not seem to understand the depth of the challenges we face.”
The union has also raised concerns about the minister’s introduction of the STEAM learning model of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics, saying it is the same as the Outcome-
Based Education (OBE) system that the same government suspended shortly after taking office.
“We warned the previous regime about OBE and its implementation challenges, but they ignored us. Now the same issues will arise with STEAM. The truth is, there are no resources on the ground to support it. It is another policy that looks good on paper but will fail in classrooms.”
Beyond policy frustrations, BOSETU has also pointed to administrative challenges within the ministry, saying many key positions remain vacant or are held by people in acting capacities.
“There are no regional directors across most regions. Decisions are being made by acting assistant directors who do not have full authority.
This makes decision-making impossible and leaves schools without proper leadership”, he said.
According to BOSETU, the state of the ministry under Kgafela-Mokoka has not only stalled progress but also eroded confidence among teachers.
“She is lowering the standard of education; the sooner the President takes a bold step of relieving her of her duties, the better. Education is too important to be left in such disarray.”.