MoE assesses needs and resources

GABORONE - The Ministry of Education and Skills Development is assessing the mismatch of the skills needs of the country and what is provided in order to correct the imbalance.
Responding to MPs comments on his ministry's budget proposal for the 2009/10 financial year on Monday, Mr Nkate said they are also considering making education compulsory.
He said some parents have deprived their children the right to education by either not sending them to school or not sending them back to school when they return.
Parliament approved a budget proposal of over P7 billion for the recurrent budget and more than P890 million for the development budget of the ministry.
Part of the money will be used to build four senior secondary schools in Mogoditshane, Mmadinare, Nata and Shakawe.
Mr Nkate also noted that there are scares skills in the education system. He gave the example of physics teachers, saying they should attract scares skills allowance.
He said preparations are ongoing to include teachers with scares skills in the list of those who should be paid skills allowance.
Mr Nkate also defended his relationship with NIIT, saying the T-shirts he received from the institution ahead of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primary elections were merely a donation.
He added that there is no corrupt relationship between him and the institution.
The minister said he did nothing illegal by accepting the donations, adding that most politicians receive donations from business people. BOPA