Academic literature on the topic 'Botswana education system'

Botswana through its two educational reform philosophies of 1977 and 1994 envisioned a developing education system that is on par with international standards. According to Tabulawa (2009), the education system was developed to produce critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovative learners. The system was designed to provide opportunities for all students by providing access to all, improve the standards of education, emancipate Batswana from illiteracy, and develop their capabilities to create a social transformation in their lives. Education was to be a vehicle for continuous positive change that would ultimately enable people to build a better world. However, the system is wanting since most students drop out of school, fail the national examinations, or are unemployable graduates. Research shows that the standard and quality of education is deteriorating as evidenced by high rates of failure at primary and secondary schools. This paper established the reasons for deteriorating standards and failure of students; and whether this was a result of the difficulty, the country finds itself in attempting to re-think and change its educational system to improve the standards or any other factors. This paper reviewed the obstacles leading to high failure rate in one primary school and the need to overhaul, rethink, reform and transform the country’s education system. This study was carried out at the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, which is presently divided into two sub departments; the Ministry of Basic Education and Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology and one (1) primary school in Gaborone through the use of qualitative method.

Botswana’s education system, like many other African systems, is greatly influenced by western educational ideas and models. This article reviews Botswana’s education system by examining the policies, models and ideas that have influenced its development. Specifically, the review involves tracing the development of the education system of Botswana from the pre-colonial era to the present and highlighting the educational ideas and models in use at each stage. Since most of the educational ideas are based on western models, the article seeks whatever Platonic underpinnings that might belie these ideas. This is because Plato is considered to be one of the greatest thinkers of all time whose ideas on education are pervasive. His ideas have influenced western education systems as well as modern intellectual and educational thinking.

The country of Botswana has passed laws to support the human rights of their citizens, including people with learning disabilities. In accordance with the United Nations’ guidelines, Botswana’s human rights initiatives, and the international movement toward inclusive education, inclusive educational reform is taking place. We have conducted a comprehensive literature review, the purpose of which was to establish the progress Botswana has made in special education policy, implementation of policy into schools, and the strides made toward inclusion. However, there are still many struggles comparable to many school systems in African nations. Key findings include a nation with significant developments in human rights which includes a developing inclusive education system with both policy and implementation, yet, still coping with the growing pains of a young special education program.

The San are Southern Africa's first indigenous peoples. They can be found in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The San peoples in Botswana still face discrimination, especially in the education sector, as their indigenous literacy and way of life are largely ignored. Their languages are not part of the school curriculum in Botswana and it is English (the official language) and Setswana (the national language) that are taught in schools. In theory, this should not be the case. This highly disadvantages San children as they underperform and drop out of school. Hence, very few have made it to the University of Botswana and the Colleges of Education. In order for Botswana to reach its aim of an educated and informed nation by 2016, San peoples need to be catered for in the education system of Botswana. This article is an integrative review about the San of Botswana and (1) explains what has been studied about the San with regard to their indigenous ways of knowing and reading the world; (2) gives a clear picture of their formal schooling experiences; and, (3) provides an overview of their English and Setswana language acquisition.

The paper aims to explore the implementation of performance monitoring and evaluation tools used in Botswana’s public service. The paper also identifies achievements and challenges of implementing performance monitoring and evaluation system and suggests ways for improvement. This paper uses secondary data sources. The paper reveals lack of performance monitoring and evaluation skills, poor supervision, poor conditions of service and a poor work ethic as some of the factors contributing to ineffective use of performance monitoring and evaluation tools in the service. Leadership commitment and support, benchmarking reforms, training and education, developed administrative and governance structures as well as well-defined public policy and program formulation and implementation processes are some of the success factors to enhanced performance management and evaluation systems in Botswana. The paper argues for adoption of a developmental-led model in order to enhance existing performance monitoring and evaluation system that would improve implementation of government policies and programs. Botswana has been striving to excel in service delivery through performance monitoring and evaluation oriented reforms.

<p>September 30^th 2016 was Botswana’s 50th birthday. Botswana, a deeply impoverished country in 1966 was on that day an upper-middle income country in the world rankings. Its education expenditure was one of the highest in the world, at around 9% of the GDP. It was on record to have provided more than 90% of universal and free primary education. Guided by the 1977 and 1994 education policies, the country committed itself to the universal declaration that education is a fundamental human right. It adopted a priority of reducing the growing percentages of non-enrolled school age children, let alone working around the clock to increase access to basic education schooling. Despite these good policies and sound financial resources, it has not escaped global challenges of unequal access which has denied some learners the opportunity to complete their education programmes. It also faced huge challenges of low school retention rates, particularly in the basic education programme, that is primary and secondary school systems. This article considers these challenges as critical indicators of lack of attention to learner’s welfare in public schools. It argues that in the 50 years of self-rule, the basic education program remained trapped in a culture of moral indifference and silent exclusion. The article argues that post 50^th birthday, Botswana needs to begin a new chapter, developing an education system that cares about learner’s education welfare more than ever before.</p>

In the light of Jacques Ellul's ideas on technology and Ivan Illich's views on education, what follows is a discussion of the present attempt of Botswana (amidst the Southern African Countries) to expand and modernize its educational system through the use of new technology to educate its people. The problems encountered in adopting technology are used as cautions for the Third World countries attracted to new technology for educating the vast majority. Illich's proposal for replacing the formal schools with the tools of conviviality for the learners is considered useful and relevant.

Although Botswana has recently been categorised as an upper middle income country, it is burdened by a scarcity of resources, both human and technological. There are barriers to patients’ access to specialized care and healthcare providers’ access to medical knowledge. Over the past three years, the Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership (BUP) has piloted four mobile telemedicine projects in the specialties of women's health (cervical cancer screening utilizing visual inspection with acetic acid), radiology, oral medicine and dermatology. Mobile telemedicine has been used in 11 locations in Botswana, training a total of 24 clinicians and successfully contributing to the management of 643 cases. In addition to mobile telemedicine, BUP has initiated an m-learning programme with the University of Botswana School of Medicine. While successfully providing patients and providers with improved access to healthcare resources, the m-health projects have faced numerous technical and social challenges. These include malfunctioning mobile devices, unreliable IT infrastructure, accidental damage to mobile devices, and cultural misalignment between IT and healthcare providers. BUP has worked with its local partners to develop solutions to these problems. To ensure sustainability, m-health programmes must have strategic goals that are aligned with those of the national health and education system, and the initiatives must be owned and led by local stakeholders. Whenever possible, open source technology and local IT expertise and infrastructure should be employed.

Recent unprecedented advances in digital technologies and their concomitant affordances in education seem to be a great opportunity to adequately address burgeoning demand for high quality higher education (HE) and the changing educational preferences. It is increasingly being recognised that using new technology effectively in HE is essential to prepare students for its increasing demand. E-learning is an integral component of the University of Botswana’s teaching and learning culture, however, teachers who are from a traditional educational system are often ill-prepared to change their role from the all-knowing “sage on the stage” who operated under the “transmission” model, to the “guide on the side” which adopts new technologies effectively for student learning. Therefore, this paper argues that one of the ways to achieve substantial pedagogical innovations is to bring a significant change in the understanding of the processes of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). This paper explores new directions for conducting scholarly activities at the University of Botswana (UB) to address the needs of today’s students, concluding with a call for a collaborative approach to teaching, research, and publishing to enhance student learning experience in diversified and socially rich collaborative learning contexts.

The study is concerned with the education system of Botswana after independence. This period starts from the 30th September 1966, when Botswana became independent up to the present moment. Since then the education system has undergone many changes. Consequently the focus is on the nature and impact of these changes. The study identifies changes which took place with regard to the Education System of Botswana since independence as far as meeting the minimum requirements of education of developing countries are concerned. The minimum requirements that the education systems of developing countries, must meet are discussed according to the four central components of the education systems, viz. the education system policy, education system administration, structure for teaching and support services. After introducing the problem statement and background in the introductory chapter, the minimum requirements of education systems in developing countries are discussed in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 then deals with a historical perspective on the education system of Botswana before independence, concentrating on the different historical periods associated with educational development up to independence day. The study then discusses the determinants of the education system of Botswana after independence in Chapter 4, focussing on the particular factors influencing the Botswana education system. Finally, Chapter 5 evaluates the level to which the education system policy and education system administration of the education system of Botswana meet the minimum requirements of the education systems of developing countries, while Chapter 6 evaluates the level to which the structure for teaching and support services meet the minimum requirements of the education systems of developing countries. In general, the evaluation indicates that the education system of Botswana has undergone many positive changes and that the Botswana education system compares favourably with the minimum requirements expected of the education systems of developing countries.
Skripsie (MEd (Vergelykende Opvoedkunde))--PU vir CHO, 1997

Bibliography: pages 104-109.
The purpose of this study is to address the issue of language in education policy in Botswana where English is used as a language of instruction at the lower levels of primary education, in this instance focusing on grades 2 and 5. Bearing in mind that English is not the learners' first language, this dissertation firstly attempts to discover some of the possible effects this could have on learners concerning their acquisition of English as a second language, and their progression into further education. Secondly it looks at the role of the primary language (Setswana) as the foundation for the child's acquisition of new knowledge and hence subsequently his/her learning of L2. The data were collected qualitatively in three primary schools through interviews and classroom observations. All three schools are government-run Tswana medium primary schools. The study is based theoretically on the sociolinguistic perspective of bilingual/multilingual education. It draws on language policy studies, language attitude studies as well as issues of language and culture.

In the opening chapter the following matters are looked into: * PROBLEM OF RESEARCH The problem of research is: - to determine whether the influences of the Republic of South Africa on the Bophuthatswana system of education and that of England on Botswana are responsible for differences of the educational systems of Bophuthatswana and Botswana; - to determine whether there are other determinants of the systems in question; and - a comparison of the determinants of the educational systems in question. * AIMS OF RESEARCH The purpose of this study is: - to make an intensive study of the educational systems of Bophuthatswana and Botswana; - to determine and to compare determinants of the educational systems in question. * METHODS OF RESEARCH The following methods have been used: literature study, interviews, interpretation of data, evaluation of data, scientific writing and the comparative method of George Bereday. * DEMARCATION OF THE FIELD OF STUDY This study is confined to the important determinants of the educational systems of Bophuthatswana and Botswana. In the second chapter methodology of Comparative Education and the theoretical structure of the educational system have been discussed. The method of George Bereday was chosen for the purpose of comparing the determinants of the systems of education in question. Bereday's method has been chosen on the grounds of the following: this method provides a more logical form of comparison - with this method Bereday has been able to give more weight to the contribution of the social sciences - it provides a logical set of procedures Bereday's method has however not been used precisely as he uses it in his writings but adjustments have been made to suit the purpose of this study. The theoretical structure of the educational system has also been discussed in chapter 2. The four structural moments of the educational system are being looked into under the theoretical structure of the system of education. The following are those structural moments of the educational system: - The religious structural moment: The religious ground motif of the community is fundamental in national systems of education. All systems of education which function normatively are based on the religious ground motif. The religious ground motif further determines the educational motif of the community. - The temporal - structural moment: Here the central idea is that the educational system is amongst others determined by temporality and that it is inseparably tied to time. - The modal - structural moment: The 15 modalities in accordance with Dooyeweerd's approach have implications for the structure and content of the educational system. - The individual structural moment of the educational system: Like everything in the cosmos the educational system has its identity as the system of education. All aspects of the educational system have been discussed in this chapter. The exposition of the educational system of Bophuthatswana is given in chapter 3. The major aim of discussing this educational system was to provide indications to its determinants. Before coming to the exposition of the educational system of Bophuthatswana per se the following issues which facilitate the understanding of an educational system were discussed: Geographical location of Bophuthatswana, climate, natural resources, the peoples of Bophuthatswana, and the culture of the Tswanas. The culture of the Tswana has further been broken down to smaller items such as: the life-patterns of the Tswanas, language and literature, the system of Government, economy and the importance of culture in education. The historical development of the educational system of Bophuthatswana has also been traced with the aim of ensuring the roots of this educational system. In the course of the discussion of the historical development it become clear that this system of education developed from the missionary education through the South African educational system. It has therefore become clear that the South African system of education has a very strong determining influence on the Bophuthatswana educational system. The exposition of the Bophuthatswana system of education is divided into the following aspects: * LEGISLATION Under legislation the Bophuthatswana National Education Act (Act 2 of 1979) has been discussed and the following major elements of the Act have been highlighted: ** GENERAL INTENT OF THE ACT The general intent of this Act is to serve the people of Bophuthatswana educationally without regard to race, colour, class or creed. ** DEFINITIONS Article 2 of the Act in question gives a definition of all the important concepts used in the Act. ** CO-ORDINATION, CONTROL, ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. Amongst others it is stated in the Act art. 3 that in providing educational services the Department of Education shall work in close cooperation with other state departments. ** ESTABLISHMENT OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Article 5(1) gives the Minister of Education powers to establish various categories of educational institutions. ** GENERAL REGULATIONS Article 10 gives matters in respect of which the Minister of Education may by notice in a gazette make regulations. ** APPOINTMENT AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF STAFF The conditions of service of the teachers are outlined in article 12 of this Act. ** DELEGATION OF POWERS BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION The Minister of Education may in accordance with art. 13 of this Act delegate either generally or in part in any particular case any power conferred on him by this Act. * CONTROL OF EDUCATION The exposition of the control of education reveals that education is both centralized and decentralized in Bophuthatswana. At the centralized level of control the following functionaries are involved: The Minister of Education who is a political head of the department, the secretary for Education who is the administrative head of the department, the inspectorate and several head office officials. Decentralized form of control is manifested in various councils such as the School Councils and the District Education Councils. Control of education in this country amongst others points to the political philosophy of the people, and therefore politics proves to be one of the determinants of education. * THE SCHOOL SYSTEM The school pattern of Bophuthatswana is 6 + 3 + 3. This means that the duration of primary school phase is six years, the middle school is three years and the high school is also three years. The following aspects in terms of primary school education have been looked into: provision of facilities, enrolments, examinations, curriculum, medium of instruction, projections and fundamental wastage. In addition to ordinary primary, middle and high schools there are technical schools, a technikon, Colleges of Education and the University. The middle school has been discussed in terms of the following issues: curriculum, and enrolments. As regards the high school the following matters received attention: curriculum, enrolments and projections. In the exposition of the Ancillary Services the following matters received attention: Curriculum and Examination Services, Language Services, Cultural Affairs Division, Sports and Recreation, National Library and Bureau for Psychological Services. Supplementary Services have been discussed in terms of extramural activities and pupils accommodation. In chapter 4 the system of education of Botswana is being exposed. Before coming to the exposition of the actual system of the Botswana education it was necessary to look into the following matters: * THE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION The description of the geographical position of Botswana reveals that this country is situated in the heart of Southern Africa. * CLIMATE The climatic conditions and their associated natural vegetation vary from dry to sub-tropical. * THE PEOPLES OF BOTSWANA The people of Botswana are divided into eight major tribes namely, Bangwato, BakgatZa, Bakwena, Bangwaketse, Batawana, BamaZete, BatZokwa and BaroZong. There are also some smaller groups which make up 20 percent of the total population. * CULTURE The following items in terms of culture have been looked into the lifepatterns of the rural Tswanas, political system, economy, currency and language and literature. * THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF EDUCATION IN BOTSWANA The history of the Botswana education ;s virtually a story of the activities of various missionaries. The London Missionary Society started the first schools in Botswana under the guidance of men such as Moffat, Livingstone and McKenzie. In view of the fact the Botswana was a British Protectorate it stands to reason that England had tremendous influence on education in that country. Up to 19~4 there was no secondary school education in Botswana and most of the education was provided in the Republic of South Africa. The historical development of the Botswana education still has a determining influence on the provision of education in that country because the backlog that has been inherited by the present government from the colonial government is legion and therefore takes money which could be financing new projects. The discussion of the educational system of Botswana is divided into the following: * EDUCATIONAL LEGISLATION Under legislation the Botswana Education Act (Act 40 of 1966) has been discussed in terms of its major parts. Those parts are: ** PART I : PRELIMINARY In the preliminary phase the basic concepts used in the Act are been defined. ** PART II ADMINISTRATION In this phase the functions of senior functionaries in education such as the Minister of Education and the permanent Secretary for Education are inter alia spelled out. ** PART III : REGISTRATION AND CONTROL OF SCHOOLS This phase is primarily devoted to the registration of all the schools in the Ministry of Education. Education. (xxviii) ** PART IV : SUPPLEMENTARY In this phase a person aggrieved by the Permanent Secretary of Education by refusing to register his school is given right to appeal to the Minister of Education. The Minister of Education is also given right in this phase to publish notices in the Gazette. * CONTROL OF EDUCATION Both central and local control of education have been discussed. At the centralized level the duties of the Minister of Education and the Permanent Secretary have been looked into. As regards local control of education the light has been thrown on the following bodies: Local Education Authority, Board of Governors and the School Committee. * THE SCHOOL SYSTEM The school pattern of Botswana is 7 + 3 + 2(3). This means that the duration of primary school education is 7 years, junior secondary education 3 years and high school education 2 or 3 years. It becomes 2 years when the candidate does ordinary matric and 3 years when the candidate takes advance level matric. Primary school education has been discussed in terms of the following things: Provision of education facilities, examinations, medium of instruction and wastage. As far as secondary school education is concerned the following issues were looked into: types of secondary schools, pattern of schools and aim of secondary school education. In addition to ordinary primary. secondary and high schools the following institutions were looked into: special schools, technical and vocational, teacher training and the university. The exposition of Ancillary Services reveals that the following services have been included in the educational system of Botswana: Curriculum Development and Evaluation, which further has the following branches or units: Curriculum Development Unit, Research and Testing Unit, Examination Unit, School Broadcasting Unit, Teaching Aid Production Unit and Teacher's Centres. Supplementary Services have been discussed in terms of pupil accommodation and extra-mural activities. All the aspects of the educational system have been discussed to provide indicators to their determinants. Chapter 5 deals with the juxtaposing and subsequent comparison of the determinants of the educational systems of Bophuthatswana and Botswana. The determinants of the educational systems in question are grouped under two main groups viz. internal and external. The determinants of the two systems under review are juxtaposed and compared in the following manner: * NATIONAL IDEALS ** THE IDEAL OF POPAGANO (Bophuthatswana) *** Education for popagano embraces the following four elements: ***For the individual, popagano is concerned with the creation of new self-reliance and confidence. ***In social and economic life popagano means building up, progress and development. ***The creation and building of a new nation. ***Popagano is an expression of the democratic ideal, the bringing together in co-operation and interdependence of all the people of Bophuthatswana. The ideal of popagano forms the aim of education in Bophuthatswana. ** THE IDEAL OF KAGISANO(Botswana) The four political principles of the Botswana Democratic Party namely, democracy, development, self-reliance and unity culminate in an ideal of kagisano. Two other dimentions of kagisano are the idea of social justice and the sense of community and mutual responsibility. Kagisano forms the basic aim of education in Botswana. In both systems of education the national ideals form the basic aim of education. * HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT The educational system of Bophuthatswana developed from the South African system of Black Education. The Botswana system of education on the other hand developed from the British system of education. The differences between the ways in which the determinant under review affects education in the systems in question is that in Bophuthatswana historical development of education shows continuity and support from the South African system of education whereas in Botswana it reveals neglect on the part of England. * POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY The political philosophy of the people of Bophuthatswana namely democracy has influenced the educational system planning in that democracy is amongst others implied in educational control. In Botswana the political principles of democracy, development, self-reliance and unity pervade the entire system of education. The main difference between the two systems of education in question in terms of political philosophies ;s that in Bophuthatswana democracy is implied in education whereas in Botswana the four political principles are practically applied in education. * RELIGION The Bophuthatswana National Education Act (Act 2 of 1979) amongst others stipulates the conditions under which Religious Education will be taught in schools. Religious Education is a compulsory school subject in Bophuthatswana. The Botswana Education Act of 1966 (Act 40 of 1966) also states the conditions under which Religious Education will be taught in schools. Unlike in Bophuthatswana Religious Education is not a compulsory school subject in Botswana. * LANGUAGES AS DETERMINANTS OF EDUCATION In Bophuthatswana there are three languages which determine the educational system viz, Setswana, English and Afrikaans. In Botswana two languages determine the system of education namely. Setswana and English. In both systems of education in question the national languages have not been accorded their rightful places because they terminate early as media of instruction. * THE TRADITIONAL PATTERNS OF SETTLEMENT The traditional patterns of settlement affect education only in Botswana. Traditional settlement in Botswana refers to the fact that rural people in Botswana have three homes viz, in the village, on the land and at the cattle post. The Ministry of Education makes an attempt to provide education at all these settlement places. * THE SPIRIT OF LOCALIZATION In Bophuthatswana the spirit of localization has not yet been effective as a determinant of education. In many fields of occupation expatriate specialists are given the nationals as assistants. The national assistants should understudy the expatriates so that they may replace them in the course of time. The nationals should therefore receive proper education so that they can meaningfully replace the expatriates. * THE NEEDS OF A COUNTRY The technical needs of Bophuthatswana and Botswana have necessitated technical education in those countries. * THE ECONOMY AS A DETERMINANT OF EDUCATION Both the Bophuthatswana and the Botswana systems of education are amongst others determined by the economy. The Bophuthatswana system of education does not have very serious economic problems whereas the provisions of education in Botswana shows serious economic problems. * THE CHILD AS A DETERMINANT OF EDUCATION Both systems of education under review are paedocentric. * TEACHERS AS A DETERMINANT OF EDUCATION In Bophuthatswana the appointment of teachers is legalised by article 11(2) of the Education Act (Act 2 of 1979). The Botswana teachers are appointed by Unified Teaching Service Act of 1975. The duration of primary teacher training in Botswana is two years after Junior Certificate whereas in Bophuthatswana is three years after Senior Certificate. * TRENDS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION Improvements in primary school education in Bophuthatswana and Botswana results in expansion of secondary school education. The differences between the Bophuthatswana and the Botswana system of education in terms of education in terms of trends in primary school education ;s that automatic promotion in primary schools in Botswana create a further problem for the secondary school education planner. In Bophuthatswana promotions are not automatic. * NUMBER AS A DETERMINANT OF EDUCATION In both systems numbers or statistics play an important role. Projections of enrolments are for instance expressed in figures. Botswana has more serious problems than Bophuthatswana in terms of enrolments in secondary schools. * SPATIAL DETERMINANT The fact that Bophuthatswana consists of fragmented pieces of land with no definite boundaries makes administration of education difficult. Distance between school and home is another factor that determines education in Botswana for example in the Ghanzi district only 55 percent of the populace live within eight kilometers from a primary school. * MOVEMENT AS A DETERMINANT OF EDUCATION In both systems of education in question movement determine education because syllabi are uniform to ensure that children transferring from one school to the other do not suffer. In Botswana there is great movement towards towns, more schools must therefore be provided in town areas. * THE PSYCHIC DETERMINANT In Bophuthatswana and Botswana systems of education there are special schools for the mentally retarded children. The psychic aspect of man therefore determines education in both systems of education. * THE ANALYTICAL ASPECT OF MAN Both systems of education under review are analytically determined. The school pattern of Bophuthatswana, which is a reflection of analytical aspect is 6 + 3 + 3 and that of Botswana is 7 + 3 + 2(3). More similarities and differences of between these systems of education in terms of the analytical aspects are given in this chapter. * THE ETHICAL DETERMINANT The ethical standards in the educational system of Bophuthatswana are engendered by articles 12(4 - 5) and 10(19) of the National Education Act of 1979. In Botswana the pupils of every school are controlled by regulations formulated by individual schools. The difference between the two systems of education in terms of the ethical determinant is that in Botswana teachers are being controlled by Unified Teaching Services whereas in Bophuthatswana the conditions of service of teachers are embodied in the Bophuthatswana Education Act (Act 2 of 1979) article 12. * THE JUDICIAL DETERMINANT The Bophuthatswana National Education Act of 1979 creates the field of education in Bophuthatswana. In Botswana the field of Education is being created by the Botswana Education Act of 1966 (Act 40 of 1966). Both systems of education are therefore determined by judiciary acts. * WESTERN CULTURE Both systems of education are determined by Western culture. * THE INFLUENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA In Bophuthatswana the influence of the Republic of South Africa is positive because it shows support and continuity whereas in Botswana is negative because it has resulted in the stoppage in the supply of teachers. * THE INFLUENCE OF ENGLAND The influence of England on Bophuthatswana is indirect whereas is direct on Botswana. Cambridge Matric is popular in Botswana for instance. In chapter 6 all issues raised in all other chapters are summerised and recommendations are also made.
Proefskrif (DEd)--PU vir CHO, 1986

By way of introduction to this dissertation, the following issues were addressed: - The problem issue underlying the research is: * What is the origin of the national educational ideas of Popagano and Kagisano? * What is the content of the national educational ideals of Bophuthatswana and Botswana educational systems respectively? * What is the influence of the national educational ideals of Bophuthatswana and Botswana on their respective educational systems with regard to their educational policy, legislation execution and the school system? - Aims of the research The purpose of this study is: * to further the understanding of the educational systems of Bophuthatswnna and Botswana by determining the origin, content and influence of the national educational ideals as determinants of the two systems of education in question. * The purpose of this study is threefold: ** to determine and describe the origin of the national educational ideals of Popagano and Kagisano; ** to determine and describe the content of the national educational ideals of Popagano and Kagisano, and ** to determine the influence of the national educational ideals on the respective educational systems of the two countries concerned with regard to their educational policy, control, legislation, execution and the school systems. - Methods of research The following methods of research have been employed: general literature survey, personal interviews, interpretation of data, evaluation of data and writing up of findings. - Demarcation of the field of study This study is confined to the national educational ideal as a determinant of the educational systems of Bophuthatswana and Botswana. The other aspect of the demarcation of the field of study is based on the explanation of terms used in the title of this study, namely: the national educational ideal, determinant, educational system, and Bophuthatswana and Botswana. The theoretical structure and the determinants of the educational system have also been discussed in chapter 2. The four structural moments of the educational system are looked into under the theoretical structure of the system of education. The following are those structural moments of the educational system: • the religious structural moment, which refers to the ground motif of the community which is fundamental in all the systems of education of the world. This is the religious ground motif. • the temporal structural moment, which refers to the fact that educational systems of the world are time-bound. • the modal structural moment, which refers to the 15 modal aspects of reality in terms of Dooyeweerd and which exercise an influence on the structure and the content of the educational system. • the individual structural moment, which refers to the individual identity of all educational systems of the world and to the idea of the uncommonness of the common. All other relevant aspects of education have been discussed in this chapter. An exposition of the educational system of Bophuthatswana is given in Chapter 3. The primary aim in discussing this educational system was to provide the origin, content and influence of the national educational ideal of Popagano on the Bophuthiltswana system of education. Before coming to the exposition of the educational system of Bophuthatswana per se, the following issues which facilitate the understanding of an educational system were discussed: The general historical background of education in Bophuthatswana; from the era of traditional education, the mission era of education, education in Bophuthatswana after the establishment of the Union of South Africa, the Bantu Education era, the years before independence (195-1-1976), the Lokhela Commission of Education (April 1978) and the inception of the national educational ideal of Popagano. The exposition of the Bophuthatswana system of Cidiic.it on is divided into the following aspects; the contents of the National Educational ideal of Popagano and the influence of the national educational ideal of Popagano. In Chapter 4 the system of education of Botswana is outlined. Before coming to the actual exposition of the system of education in Botswana, it was necessary to look into the following matters: the origin of the national educational ideal of Kagisano. This included the following aspects: the general historical background of education in Botswana which reflects on the years of turmoil, traditional education in the pre-literate era, the mission era of education; education in Botswana after the establishment of the British Bechuanaland Protectorate, the first Education Act after Independence, the Botswana National Education Commission of April 1977 and the inception of the national educational ideal of Kagisano; the contents of the national educational ideal of Kagisano and the influence of the national educational ideal of Kagisano on the educational system of Botswana. Chapter 5 deals with conclusions, findings and recommendations. This implies that all issues raised in all other chapters are summarised and recommendations are also made.
Thesis (MEd)--PU vir CHO, 1987

This study has as its starting point the central contention that the implications of the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa affect a wide range of societal structures including all levels of the education system. This multilevel qualitative case study of Botswana’s education system sets out to complement national quantitative HIV/AIDS impact studies. Using the draw-and-write technique and unstructured and semi-structured interviews, the study examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on the pupil, classroom, school and contextual levels, as experienced by primary age pupils, teachers, head teachers, regional educational officers and officers at the ministerial level, in high HIV/AIDS prevalence areas. The analysis of data reveals that HIV/AIDS does not only have an impact on orphans and vulnerable children, but affects the majority of children’s psychosocial well-being, perception of self, hopes, beliefs and aspirations for the future, as well as, teaching, learning and the management of learning. Moreover, the impact of the pandemic influenced many of the factors that have been shown to correlate positively with pupils’ achievements in School Effectiveness (SER) research. The findings of the study thus challenge SER’s goal of universality and its narrow focus on academic outcomes. Consequently, the researcher argues that HIV/AIDS needs to be regarded as a contextual variable that not only influences processes and pupils’ outcomes at all levels in the education system, but also as variable that must necessitate a shift in the goals, content and role of education, in order for schools to be regarded as ‘effective’ within the context of AIDS. The study identifies a number of academic and affective educational outputs, outcomes and processes that should be integrated into the primary school phase in order for pupils and schools to not only mitigate the impact of the pandemic but in order that they can become active change agents in reversing the current AIDS trend. The researcher proposes that through a synthesis of the School Effectiveness and the Educational Indicator Research Paradigms, effective process variables can be identified, measured and monitored against relevant outputs and outcomes to support the process of turning the HIV/AIDS trend around.

Countries are developing ambitious strategies to produce a globally competitive workforce. International expectations, standards, local, and national needs contribute towards the desire to improve on the quality of education provided to the nation. With the realisation that diamonds are not forever, Botswana is striving ‘towards a knowledge society’. Quality tertiary education has been identified as a catalyst that can propel Botswana towards an educated and informed nation as per one of the vision 2016 pillars. In this light, programme accreditation as one of the quality assurance tools used in the tertiary education sector needs to be up to date. The accreditation status can be regarded as a mark of quality. The aim of this study was to contribute towards improvement of the programme accreditation system by developing characteristics of an effective programme accreditation system for tertiary education institutions in Botswana. Educational design research was found suitable for this study because it is a methodology that is aimed to improve educational practices. The research subjects were people in the tertiary education sector who participated in the programme accreditation process of tertiary education institutions in Botswana. Data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, and document analysis. Formative evaluation was done throughout to approach product quality. The findings indicated that Botswana’s programme accreditation system is in line with international procedure of self-evaluation, a site visit resulting in a programme accreditation report, followed by a programme accreditation decision. Accreditation agencies studied subscribe to such a model. The model allows institutions to do a critical analysis of their programme environment and find ways of providing ‘an exemplary programme’ by designing improvement strategies, thereby allowing them to be innovative. The quality of the self-evaluation report is partly determined by the intensity of the research into the programme provision, which should contain the programme content, resources and delivery. The institution is expected to give an authentic view of the situation as it exists, stating both strengths and weaknesses and the opportunities for improvement being guided by programme accreditation standards, requirements, and criteria. Assessment for conferment of the accreditation status is carried out by a team from academia and industry, the programme review team. Every accreditation report is expected to contain recommendations for programme improvement. An effective programme accreditation system should be relevant to the environment in which it is carried out, transparent so that all stakeholders are clear about the requirements, inclusive and adaptable to accommodate different situations and responsive to contemporary issues. A prototype of a relevant, practical, and valid programme accreditation system that is appropriate for use in the tertiary education institutions in Botswana as well as characteristics of an effective programme accreditation system were realised. The long-term goal of the output of this research is that the designed characteristics should be applicable not only to tertiary education level but also to the whole education system, and should be internationally applicable so that other programme accreditation systems, both emerging and maturing, could benefit.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
Science, Mathematics and Technology Education
Unrestricted

Museums and schools evolved as the definition of the concept of education to describe a lifelong process of developing knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that take place not only in the classroom, but also in a variety of formal and informal contexts and settings. In order to fulfil and extend the potential of the partnership, museum educators and school teachers should be assisted to develop a comprehensive understanding of the nature of the museum-school collaboration. They should learn the difference between museums and classrooms. When the Botswana National Museum was established in 1968, the Botswana government aspired to avail information relating to Botswana customs, indigenous knowledge system and values to Botswana‘s future citizens, with the hope that the information and artefacts collected at the time would retell the story of Botswana to learners and the public alike. The Botswana National Museum, through its educational programmes, has the capability to help educate learners; make teaching and learning an exciting undertaking; and provide the opportunities for hands-on activities and interaction with real objects. In order to address the research question posed for this study, the researcher conducted open-ended interviews with a sample comprising 40 participants: 10 teachers, 10 learners, 10 museum employees and 10 curriculum developers. The data collected from the interviews were decoded and presented in narrative form. The responses were presented using three identified categories: the curriculum development process in Botswana; the typical learner activities in the classroom and in the Botswana National Museum; and collaboration between the Botswana National Museum and schools. The data analysis revealed that the curriculum development process in Botswana was exclusively done by curriculum developers. Learners, teachers and museum employees were not involved. The Botswana National Museum‘s education programmes are not familiar to all role-players. All role-players were positive regarding a possible collaboration with the Botswana National Museum. Generic and specific recommendations were put forward to this end.
Educational Studies
D. Ed. (Didactics)

The state of moral decline has recently come under scrutiny in South Africa and abroad. Moral development is nurtured and developed by moral teaching. South Africa has put in place various avenues for moral education in order to curb moral degeneration. However, due to the continuing social ills that are experienced in the country further avenues of moral education ought to be explored. Due to the multicultural nature of the South African population, moral considerations should consider the strengths that cultural diversity in moral education can contribute toward a moral society. Moral teachings have been explored through education and religious chastity; however, the indigenous knowledge systems of South Africans have not been tapped in this regard. This is partly because the scientific world has not seen it fit to accommodate these knowledges in the knowledge production sphere. The study employed a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore the role of traditional teachings in Batswana female initiation schools and how the traditional teachings contribute to morality and the construction of womanhood. A decolonial epistemic perspective, the African epistemology and social constructionism were used as concepts that formed a framework to allow the critiquing of main stream theories and to allow a grounded theory to emerge from a Batswana female initiation context. Unstructured interviews with initiation instructors as primary data sources were conducted. Secondary data sources included initiation songs and dance; conversations with people who are involved in initiation schools, people who are knowledgeable in Setswana culture and the cultural celebration that the researcher attended were used. The textual data was analysed using the Attride Sterling model of thematic networks. Womanhood as a particular identity and female morality as mainly determined by context are the main themes in the study. Womanhood and morality are intertwined within this context that determines womanhood according to acceptable behaviours. An ethic of responsibility was the overarching theme when analyzing how female morality and womanhood is constructed in the context of initiation schools in Taung.
Psychology
M.A. (Research Consultation)

Various forms of academic co-operation criss-cross the modern university system in a bewildering number of ways, from the open exchange of ideas and knowledge, to the sharing of research results, and frank discussions about research challenges. Embedded in these scholarly networks is the question of whether a global template for the management of both higher education and national research organisations is necessary, and if so, must institutions slavishly follow the high-flown language of the global knowledge society or risk falling behind in the ubiquitous university ranking system? Or are there alternatives that can achieve a better, more ethically inclined, world? Basing their observations on their own experiences, an interesting mix of seasoned scholars and new voices from southern Africa and the Nordic region offer critical perspectives on issues of inter- and cross-regional academic co-operation. Several of the chapters also touch on the evolution of the higher education sector in the two regions. An absorbing and intelligent study, this book will be invaluable for anyone interested in the strategies scholars are using to adapt to the interconnectedness of the modern world. It offers fresh insights into how academics are attempting to protect the spaces in which they can freely and openly debate the challenges they face, while aiming to transform higher education, and foster scholarly collaboration. The Southern African-Nordic Centre (SANORD) is a partnership of higher education institutions from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. SANORDs primary aim is to promote multilateral research co-operation on matters of importance to the development of both regions. Our activities are based on the values of democracy, equity, and mutually beneficial academic engagement.

As in other Sub-Saharan countries, the legal reforms that occur in Botswana have significant effects on family functioning and how parenting occurs. Parenting practices such as strategies for supporting, monitoring, and disciplining children have significant effects on children's physical, social, psychological, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing. An important section of the structural system that affects parenting practices is the law. Botswana's Children's Act is an overriding law that informs any children's policy and program as well as parenting behaviors. Children's laws in the country are influenced by both socio-cultural discourses as well as the international bodies that Botswana is signatory to such as the Convention for the Rights of the Child (CRC). The authors adopt a critical discourse analysis (CDA) to examine how Botswana's Children's Act of 2009 contributes to parenting practices in the country and the impact of socio-cultural discourses in understanding and implementing the act. Implications for social work practice, research, and policy are highlighted.

Recent unprecedented advances in digital technologies and their concomitant affordances in education seem to be a great opportunity to adequately address burgeoning demand for high quality higher education (HE) and the changing educational preferences. It is increasingly being recognised that using new technology effectively in HE is essential to prepare students for its increasing demand. E-learning is an integral component of the University of Botswana’s teaching and learning culture, however, teachers who are from a traditional educational system are often ill-prepared to change their role from the all-knowing “sage on the stage” who operated under the “transmission” model, to the “guide on the side” which adopts new technologies effectively for student learning. Therefore, this paper argues that one of the ways to achieve substantial pedagogical innovations is to bring a significant change in the understanding of the processes of the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). This paper explores new directions for conducting scholarly activities at the University of Botswana (UB) to address the needs of today’s students, concluding with a call for a collaborative approach to teaching, research, and publishing to enhance student learning experience in diversified and socially rich collaborative learning contexts.

The purpose of the study covered in this chapter was to evaluate the preferences of mechanical engineering students at the University of Botswana regarding course delivery, with special consideration for Blackboard technology. The study was carried out during three consecutive years (from 2007/2008 to 2009/10 academic years) for one course in the mechanical engineering degree programme. A questionnaire was administered to three cohorts of third year mechanical engineering students; a total of 101 students participated in the study. As the results of this study were encouraging, it is recommended that more courses in the programme should migrate to a blended mode of instruction delivery using Blackboard or any other approved learning management system.

Funding for vocational skills development is important for effective development of graduate competencies. A comparison of literature on funding models in Botswana, SA, and Zimbabwe reveals common models with alternatives augmenting predominant systems. Funding in the three countries is predominantly through public funding and levy-grant system. Other funding sources include income generating activities, corporate and donor funding, fees from students and student grant-loan schemes. Some challenges in TVET funding include fragmented financing systems, general high cost of financing TVET, lack of commitment by stakeholders, poor image of TVET against academic education, inadequate public budgetary allocations by most governments, lack of research and feedback to TVET planners from labour market to allow planning and adjusting funding models for future skilled manpower requirements. There is need to have adequate funding to ensure that graduates fully gain the necessary competencies.

This chapter explores ways in which technology can complement quality foundational education in Botswana. Quality here implies acquiring good foundation for future learning and appropriate lifeskills. Indicators of good foundation are monitored performance as pr the national policy including learners’ positive attitude towards learning. Learning is systematically organized with clear requirements for progression from foundational to upper levels of education. Botswana’s foundational education is the first 10 years of schooling. Currently, poor performance at the national Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) examination persists, amplifying unsatisfactory performance in foundation education. In the current inclusive practices, parents as co-players can be actively involved to strengthen and complement foundational years of education. Community Learning Centres (CLCs) can be used to facilitate involvement of community members like parents. CLCs are present in almost each village and readily available as platforms for community participation hence their potential to be podia for ubiquitous learning platforms. Ubiquitous means provision of continuous learning in and outside the school environment. For CLCs to truly function as podia for ubiquitous learning, they should be equipped to provide digital learning (must have computers, necessary software and reliable internet connection); they must be accessed for free and using flexible times; they must give credit to community members as custodians of cultural learning needed to promote the principle of ‘balance’, that is, accommodate principles of formal and one’s cultural learning. Existing centres such as Kitsong Centres, Lifelong Learning Centres, Community Libraries and Community Halls can provide a diversified system of Community Learning Centres (CLCs) to serve as podia for ubiquitous learning. With direct investment and recognition, CLCs can complement or strengthen foundational years and indeed serve as centres for ubiquitous and lifelong learning.

General Education Courses (GEC) are natural sources of “soft” skills in engineering curricula. Such skills are becoming increasingly important if the graduates are to operate successfully and be fully integrated in their workplaces. The importance of “soft” skills is fully recognized by engineering accreditation boards. The chapter reports on the engineering students’ reactions to the introduction of GEC at the University of Botswana (UB). The position of engineering students’ on the issue of GEC is not very clear. The questionnaire administered to final year students in all engineering programmes at UB gave a mixed response. On average, there were 25% neutral answers to the questions in the survey. The fact that on average one quarter of all graduating engineers did not have an opinion about GEC and their implementation was very disappointing and showed the general problem of students not being interested in that area of their study. The survey showed that students were not fully convinced that GEC were either important or relevant to their future career. The fundamental question on whether GEC were a necessary part of engineering programme brought almost an equal split between positive, negative, and neutral answers, with a slight advantage of positive answers (37%) over negative ones (33%). The students were equally split (36% positive and negative answers) on the question of whether GEC were relevant to their career paths. A small majority were of the opinion that GEC should not be retained. As it is critical that elements of general education are retained in the engineering curriculum, it is necessary to convince the students of the importance of those elements of the study. An effective advisory students’ system is recommended starting with general discussions on engineering practice within departments led by senior members of staff. Also, an introductory course in engineering or any course directly dealing with engineering practice is recommended.

The national level of Intellectual Property Law covers national legislation and policy as well as common law, while at the international level it covers international treaties and conventions to which Botswana is a signatory. The Mission of the University of Botswana is to advance the intellectual and human resource capacity of the nation and the international community. In this regard, the goal of this paper is that the University plays a central role in the development of intellectual property law and policy and in the protection of intellectual property at the University and the nation at large. The University must articulate its position on intellectual property issues so as to influence national policy and legislation as well as international developments in intellectual property in the digital era. The area that greatly affects the University of Botswana in its core business is copyright. Accordingly, this paper focuses mainly on issues arising in copyright especially in the digital era and how they affect the University’s core business. The paper covers the duration of copyright, licensing agreements, the cost of digital information, the preservation of digital information, distance learning, the protection of indigenous knowledge systems, and the development of intellectual property education.

A number of studies on career orientations of information systems (IS) personnel have focused on developed countries. This study attempts to examine career anchors of IS personnel from the perspective of a developing country, Botswana. The results of the study show that IS personnel in Botswana exhibit career orientations similar to those identified in literature. However, there are some variations, which are attributed to cultural and socio-economic peculiarities. The study indicates that life style does not feature as a significant career anchor in Botswana. The dominant career anchors include organizational stability (security) and sense of service (service). Gender, age, and educational qualifications tend to moderate the career anchors significantly; thus creating a partition of the anchors across demographic groups. The major contributors to the turnover intentions of IS personnel in developing economies are job satisfaction and growth opportunities. Career satisfaction, supervisor support, organization commitment, length of service, and age did not contribute significantly to turnover intention.

This report maps the African landscape of Open Science – with a focus on Open Data as a sub-set of Open Science. Data to inform the landscape study were collected through a variety of methods, including surveys, desk research, engagement with a community of practice, networking with stakeholders, participation in conferences, case study presentations, and workshops hosted. Although the majority of African countries (35 of 54) demonstrates commitment to science through its investment in research and development (R&D), academies of science, ministries of science and technology, policies, recognition of research, and participation in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), the following countries demonstrate the highest commitment and political willingness to invest in science: Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. In addition to existing policies in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), the following countries have made progress towards Open Data policies: Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda. Only two African countries (Kenya and South Africa) at this stage contribute 0.8% of its GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to R&D (Research and Development), which is the closest to the AU’s (African Union’s) suggested 1%. Countries such as Lesotho and Madagascar ranked as 0%, while the R&D expenditure for 24 African countries is unknown. In addition to this, science globally has become fully dependent on stable ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) infrastructure, which includes connectivity/bandwidth, high performance computing facilities and data services. This is especially applicable since countries globally are finding themselves in the midst of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), which is not only “about” data, but which “is” data. According to an article1 by Alan Marcus (2015) (Senior Director, Head of Information Technology and Telecommunications Industries, World Economic Forum), “At its core, data represents a post-industrial opportunity. Its uses have unprecedented complexity, velocity and global reach. As digital communications become ubiquitous, data will rule in a world where nearly everyone and everything is connected in real time. That will require a highly reliable, secure and available infrastructure at its core, and innovation at the edge.” Every industry is affected as part of this revolution – also science. An important component of the digital transformation is “trust” – people must be able to trust that governments and all other industries (including the science sector), adequately handle and protect their data. This requires accountability on a global level, and digital industries must embrace the change and go for a higher standard of protection. “This will reassure consumers and citizens, benefitting the whole digital economy”, says Marcus. A stable and secure information and communication technologies (ICT) infrastructure – currently provided by the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) – is key to advance collaboration in science. The AfricaConnect2 project (AfricaConnect (2012–2014) and AfricaConnect2 (2016–2018)) through establishing connectivity between National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), is planning to roll out AfricaConnect3 by the end of 2019. The concern however is that selected African governments (with the exception of a few countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia and others) have low awareness of the impact the Internet has today on all societal levels, how much ICT (and the 4th Industrial Revolution) have affected research, and the added value an NREN can bring to higher education and research in addressing the respective needs, which is far more complex than simply providing connectivity. Apart from more commitment and investment in R&D, African governments – to become and remain part of the 4th Industrial Revolution – have no option other than to acknowledge and commit to the role NRENs play in advancing science towards addressing the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals). For successful collaboration and direction, it is fundamental that policies within one country are aligned with one another. Alignment on continental level is crucial for the future Pan-African African Open Science Platform to be successful. Both the HIPSSA ((Harmonization of ICT Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa)3 project and WATRA (the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly)4, have made progress towards the regulation of the telecom sector, and in particular of bottlenecks which curb the development of competition among ISPs. A study under HIPSSA identified potential bottlenecks in access at an affordable price to the international capacity of submarine cables and suggested means and tools used by regulators to remedy them. Work on the recommended measures and making them operational continues in collaboration with WATRA. In addition to sufficient bandwidth and connectivity, high-performance computing facilities and services in support of data sharing are also required. The South African National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System5 (NICIS) has made great progress in planning and setting up a cyberinfrastructure ecosystem in support of collaborative science and data sharing. The regional Southern African Development Community6 (SADC) Cyber-infrastructure Framework provides a valuable roadmap towards high-speed Internet, developing human capacity and skills in ICT technologies, high- performance computing and more. The following countries have been identified as having high-performance computing facilities, some as a result of the Square Kilometre Array7 (SKA) partnership: Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zambia. More and more NRENs – especially the Level 6 NRENs 8 (Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and recently Zambia) – are exploring offering additional services; also in support of data sharing and transfer. The following NRENs already allow for running data-intensive applications and sharing of high-end computing assets, bio-modelling and computation on high-performance/ supercomputers: KENET (Kenya), TENET (South Africa), RENU (Uganda), ZAMREN (Zambia), EUN (Egypt) and ARN (Algeria). Fifteen higher education training institutions from eight African countries (Botswana, Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, and Tanzania) have been identified as offering formal courses on data science. In addition to formal degrees, a number of international short courses have been developed and free international online courses are also available as an option to build capacity and integrate as part of curricula. The small number of higher education or research intensive institutions offering data science is however insufficient, and there is a desperate need for more training in data science. The CODATA-RDA Schools of Research Data Science aim at addressing the continental need for foundational data skills across all disciplines, along with training conducted by The Carpentries 9 programme (specifically Data Carpentry 10 ). Thus far, CODATA-RDA schools in collaboration with AOSP, integrating content from Data Carpentry, were presented in Rwanda (in 2018), and during17-29 June 2019, in Ethiopia. Awareness regarding Open Science (including Open Data) is evident through the 12 Open Science-related Open Access/Open Data/Open Science declarations and agreements endorsed or signed by African governments; 200 Open Access journals from Africa registered on the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ); 174 Open Access institutional research repositories registered on openDOAR (Directory of Open Access Repositories); 33 Open Access/Open Science policies registered on ROARMAP (Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies); 24 data repositories registered with the Registry of Data Repositories (re3data.org) (although the pilot project identified 66 research data repositories); and one data repository assigned the CoreTrustSeal. Although this is a start, far more needs to be done to align African data curation and research practices with global standards. Funding to conduct research remains a challenge. African researchers mostly fund their own research, and there are little incentives for them to make their research and accompanying data sets openly accessible. Funding and peer recognition, along with an enabling research environment conducive for research, are regarded as major incentives. The landscape report concludes with a number of concerns towards sharing research data openly, as well as challenges in terms of Open Data policy, ICT infrastructure supportive of data sharing, capacity building, lack of skills, and the need for incentives. Although great progress has been made in terms of Open Science and Open Data practices, more awareness needs to be created and further advocacy efforts are required for buy-in from African governments. A federated African Open Science Platform (AOSP) will not only encourage more collaboration among researchers in addressing the SDGs, but it will also benefit the many stakeholders identified as part of the pilot phase. The time is now, for governments in Africa, to acknowledge the important role of science in general, but specifically Open Science and Open Data, through developing and aligning the relevant policies, investing in an ICT infrastructure conducive for data sharing through committing funding to making NRENs financially sustainable, incentivising open research practices by scientists, and creating opportunities for more scientists and stakeholders across all disciplines to be trained in data management.