The country’s primary education system is facing a worrying dropout problem concentrated in the upper primary grades. Official figures show that standard Six recording the highest number of male dropouts and Standard Seven registering the highest number among female pupils.
The latest figures contained in the Primary Education Statistics Brief 2022 and published recently by Statistics Botswana reveal that 1,105 pupils dropped out of primary school in 2022.
The report suggests that this has raised fresh concerns about school progression and the country’s ability to ensure that children complete basic education.
The statistics show that in the final years of primary education Standard Six had the highest number of male dropouts, while Standard Seven recorded the highest number of female dropouts. Overall, males recorded more dropouts than females across all standards and regions.
The figures suggest a major weakness in the country’s drive towards universal primary education.
Statistics Botswana warns that dropout and non-completion can leave children without the basic skills expected from primary education.
One of the reasons for dropping out was desertion, which accounted for 478 cases, or 43.3 percent, of all recorded dropouts. The problem affected both sexes, although males were more affected, with 44.3 percent of male dropouts attributed to truancy compared with 41.0 percent among females.
“Policies to improve school progression and reduce the numbers of children dropping out of school are critical if Universal Primary Education (UPE) is to be achieved,” the report states.
One of the reasons for dropping out was desertion, which accounted for 478 cases, or 43.3 percent, of all recorded dropouts. The problem affected both sexes, although males were more affected, with 44.3 percent of male dropouts attributed to truancy compared with 41.0 percent among females.
Another reason was truancy which accounted for another 399 cases, while 79 pupils dropped out because of an inability to pay school fees.
The Central region recorded 374 dropouts, representing 33.8 percent of the national total, making it the region with the highest number of primary school dropouts. Truancy was identified as the leading reason for dropout in the region.
The statistics also reveal a fragile return-to-school pathway. Of pupils who re-entered the education system in 2022, 64.7 percent were male while only 35.3 percent were female, suggesting that girls who leave school may face greater barriers to returning.
At the same time, Botswana has recorded a decline in key enrolment indicators. The Gross Enrolment Rate for children aged six to 12 fell from 110.8 percent in 2013 to 108.8 percent in 2022, while the net enrolment rate for children aged seven to 13 declined from 95.8 percent in 2019 to 94.7 percent in 2022.
The decline comes despite improvements in teacher deployment. The proportion of untrained primary school teachers fell from 0.2 percent in 2019 to 0.14 percent in 2022, while the pupil-teacher ratio for trained teachers improved from 24 pupils per teacher in 2015 to 23 in 2022.
