Deputy Education Minister Clement Abas Apaak says government is rolling out reforms aimed at improving teacher welfare, expanding STEM education and strengthening access to learning for vulnerable students as part of efforts to improve education outcomes.
Speaking at the ministerial session of the Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities in Gaborone, Botswana, Apaak said teacher motivation remains central to the country’s education reform agenda.“We must continue to make the teacher central in the drive to educate our population,” he said.
According to Apaak, the government has introduced incentive packages including paid study leave and a proposed “Teacher Dabre Programme” intended to provide accommodation for teachers posted to rural and underserved communities.
He said housing shortages and poor transport infrastructure continue to discourage teachers from accepting postings outside urban areas.
Apaak noted that some teachers travel long distances daily, while others risk crossing water bodies and navigating poor road networks to access schools in remote communities.
The deputy minister said government is also addressing infrastructure deficits within the education sector while expanding access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education at the basic school level.
As part of the initiative, the government is rolling out “STEM boxes” containing practical learning tools assembled by local innovators to support hands-on science education.
Beyond academic reforms, Apaak highlighted social intervention programs aimed at improving school participation and reducing inequality.
According to him, more than 12 million sanitary pad packs were distributed to schoolgirls last year to help address period poverty, adding that 292 million cedis has been allocated this year to continue the initiative.
The government has also implemented free tertiary education for persons with disabilities and is considering expanding free education support and assistive devices for learners with special needs across all levels of education, he said.
The reforms are to improve educational access, teacher retention and workforce readiness amid growing youth populations and widening skills gaps.
