BCP women seek 5000 signatures for petition

Botswana Congress Party Women’s League (BCPWL) is planning to petition government over the continuing education crisis.

BCPWL President Daisy Bathusi said they want to collect over 5000 signatures across the country before handing over the petition to government. When launching the campaign for the petition this week, Bathusi explained that forms would be availed at strategic areas across the country for members of the public to sign.

“We have decided to take this bold step because we cannot afford another year crisis. We want the issue to be dealt with as soon as possible. We want to petition government to end the seven (7) year education crisis,” said Bathusi. She explained that they want government to declare that education is in crisis.

Bathusi said the intended outcome is for government to institute full investigation into the causes of the crisis. The BCPWL President indicated that the investigations outcome would help in putting mechanisms in place to avoid a recurrence.

She said the BCP women’s league want the investigation to be done within 12 months of handing over the petition because “we cannot afford another year or two of declining examination results. We believe as the women’s league we have to take a lead in helping restore the dignity our education sector used to have.”

The petition comes after Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central Dr Phenyo Butale called for an Independent Commission of Enquiry into the plummeting education results. Through a motion that he tabled before Parliament, Dr. Butale said the commission would assist in coming up with tangible solutions that would address the protracted crisis.

The MP told Parliament that currently there is finger-pointing among stakeholders. He said unions have accused the education system of making the situation worse.