UNESCO. General Conference; 30th; Records ... - unesdoc - Unesco

Directeur général, nous continuerons à recevoir l'appui de l'UNESCO à notre action en faveur d'une éducation de
meilleure qualité et plus humaine, et d'une culture qui reconnaîtra en chaque citoyen de la planète une personne
digne et créatrice. Je vous remercie.
(Ms Moserová resumes the Chair)
31. The PRESIDENT:
I thank the Minister for Education of El Salvador, who has illustrated most vividly how education really
does contribute to the quality of life. I now give the floor to His Excellency the Honourable Ponatshego
Kedikilwe, Minister for Education of Botswana.
32.1 Mr KEDIKILWE (Botswana):
Madam President, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen and friends, allow me, Madam
President, to offer my sincere congratulations, on behalf of the Botswana delegation, on your election to the
presidency of the 30 th session of the UNESCO General Conference. Your expertise and experience in the work of
UNESCO and other fields which have earned you this eminent position will surely stand you in good stead. I
wish you success as you lead UNESCO across the bridge between two centuries. To the Chairperson of the
Executive Board, the Director-General and members of his team, including staff of UNESCO, I offer my
gratitude for work so well done.
32.2 Allow me further, Madam President, to take this opportunity to convey to the General Conference
special and warm greetings from the Government of Botswana which, only a few days ago, on 16 October 1999
to be exact, conducted elections which were acclaimed free and fair by independent observers. I have assumed
the Education portfolio after a stint in the Finance Ministry. This intervention is therefore my maiden speech in
this new portfolio. I offer my assurance for unflinching cooperation with UNESCO.
32.3 Madam President, Botswana made a decision at independence in 1966 that education was central to the
nurturing and consolidation of its democracy and socio-economic development. About 23% of the national
budget has been allocated to education since the 1980s. Education expenditure is about 9% of current GDP. This
commitment has been further extended by the policy of maintaining partnerships with various stakeholders,
including the private sector and local communities.
32.4 The education system is a product of two major reforms which are outcomes of national commissions:
one in 1977 and one more recently in 1994 which I had the singular honour and privilege to chair. A blueprint for
the development of education for the next 25 years is in place specifically to address issues of access and equity;
pre-school education, technical teacher education; non-formal and distance education. Significant progress has
been made in the provision of education for all. A 10-year free basic education programme, accessible to 90% of
school-going children, has been provided. The adult literacy rate stands at 74% with the percentage of literate
females higher than that of males. The curriculum has been reviewed and revised in line with national needs and
priorities. Emerging issues such as environmental education, population and family life education and HIV/AIDS
have been integrated and infused in the teaching and learning materials. New subjects such as information
technology (IT), business studies, guidance and counselling and moral education have been introduced.
32.5 In this connection, teachers have been recognized as crucial to the delivery of quality education. Efforts
have, therefore, been made through pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes to equip the teachers
with the necessary competencies. In addition, a strong system of rewards and incentives to attract and retain highcalibre
professionals has been introduced. For instance, in terms of the current policy, teachers are among select
groups of public officers entitled to 100% housing. A system of national awards for recognizing excellence is
now available to teachers. In addition, vocational education and training in its broadest sense has been given a
major boost in order to create opportunities for lifelong learning for all citizens.
32.6 The fifth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA V), held in Hamburg in July
1997, was of great interest to Botswana in view of our need to refine the opportunities for adult learning. In
Botswana, follow-up has been undertaken by the preparation of the National Plan of Action for Adult Learning.
Botswana looks forward to an expanded and strengthened adult education sector that will address the needs of the
twenty-first century. In particular, it supports the proposal for a United Nations Week of Adult Learning.
32.7 Underpinning the new conceptual framework of lifelong learning is the reinforcement of the role of
libraries and technology-based information services as gateways to freely accessible knowledge. We thus
congratulate UNESCO on its continuing commitment to the support of a well-informed citizenry of the world, the
basis for an informed society of the third millennium, as articulated in the revised UNESCO Public Library
Manifesto.
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