BTU Botswana take stock of progress
In the framework of its EFAIDS Programme, the BTU/Botswana has recently been engaged in a number of worthwhile activities. Whether engaged in advocacy work to improve the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS or reinforcing partnerships towards the achievement of Education for All (EFA), the union has been keeping up the pace in pursuing its programme goals.
Towards the end of last year, the BTU joined other civil society organisations to petition the Government of Botswana to pass legislation on the protection of the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS in the workplace. Teachers played a significant role in ensuring that the petition for legislation gained as many supporters as possible. The BTU has high hopes that the proposed legislation will soon pass through the National Assembly.
On the opening day of the BTU Congress last December, Project Coordinator Ronald Ketshabe had an opportunity to address the delegates on the EFAIDS Programme. This was an opportune moment to spread awareness on the programme among the membership, but also, crucially, among senior representatives of the Government, NGOs and ruling and opposition party politicians. The response was encouraging as numerous teachers and other stakeholders subsequently approached Mr. Ketshabe for further information on the programme. Although it launched the joint EFAIDS Programme in 2006, the BTU has had a HIV/AIDS teacher training project in place since 2001.
Efforts by the BTU to strike partnerships on EFA with stakeholders - in particular top government officials - are ongoing. An EFA mid-term review for all stakeholders was convened in Gaborone on March 13-14 2007. At the event, each ministry department presented an account of what they have been doing to ensure the realisation of the EFA goals by 2015. BTU and the Botswana Coalition for Global Campaign for Education (GCE-Botswana) were also given the opportunity to present their contribution to the EFA goals, as well as to comment on the progress made thus far by the Ministry of Education. For more information, please email us at [email protected].
