Teachers, Teacher Education, and Professional Development

Teacher Education Specific to Mathematics and Science

Since 2000, teachers in Botswana are required to complete a three year diploma course at a primary college of education in order to teach in a primary school, or at a secondary college of education in order to teach in a junior secondary school. Formerly, the minimum qualification for primary school teachers was a two year Primary Teachers Certificate. The last cohort of these teachers graduated in 1999. During their study at colleges of education, mathematics student-teachers spend approximately 58 percent of their time on subject content and 42 percent on pedagogy, while science student-teachers spend approximately 75 percent of their time on subject content and 25 percent on pedagogy. In primary colleges of education, 50 percent of course time is spent on subject content and 50 percent on pedagogy. Universities also offer further studies for qualified teachers. Recently, many teachers in Botswana have been sent for further studies and replaced temporarily by inexperienced teachers.

In addition to academic and pedagogical studies, both primary and secondary school student-teachers complete a six month course, during which they practice teaching in schools for three to four months under the supervision of experienced teachers. College lecturers visit them to assess their performance in schools, and their assessment score contributes to their final grade.

Requirements for Ongoing Professional Development

The Department of Training and Development (T&D), within the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, is mandated to provide professional development to teachers in school subjects across the curriculum, including mathematics and science. There is a T&D officer in each of the 10 regions of the country. Currently, the T&D department is experiencing a shortage of officers, hindering the successful execution of its mandate. TIMSS 2003,14 TIMSS 2007,15 and TIMSS 201116 findings indicate that the majority of teachers do not participate in professional development activities.