2006 Speeches

Botswana Life Skills Launch

July 28, 2006

Good morning

It is an honor, and it gives me great pleasure, to participate in the launch of the Botswana Life Skills curriculum materials. BOTUSA has provided extensive financial and technical assistance to the collaboration with the Ministry of Education that has resulted in the development of this important curriculum.

BOTUSA got involved with the development of Life Skills at the Ministry’s request to support the Government’s efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and other STIs among young people 5-19 years of age. The Government had realized that the population of young learners in Botswana represents almost half the country’s population and an extremely important group on which to focus prevention efforts before most of them would be exposed to HIV infection. The Ministry of Education assessed the school environment and programs and realized that they must enhance the education of children in Botswana from an early age all the way through their development to become young adults by including life skills education. In this planning process the MOE made a decision to shift from a fact-based approach to a skills based approach in Botswana’s schools.

These materials are high quality, age-appropriate, and culturally appropriate materials that were developed over a 4 year period in consultation with teachers, the Ministry of Education, BOTUSA, and the Education Development Center, a well known curriculum development firm in the United States. These materials were developed here in Botswana and piloted in the schools throughout the country where feedback from teachers and learners was incorporated before they were finalized and printed.

The development process involved writing, reviewing, editing, technical assistance, research, networking, censoring for age and cultural appropriateness, piloting, and finally printing and training of trainers. BOTUSA engaged two full time officers to work in the MOE on all these aspects of development. At this point more than 200 trainers have been trained. More trainers will be trained in the next few weeks. Following that these trainers will train teachers around the country and finally the teachers will start using the materials in the schools.

The Life Skills Curriculum is in close alignment with the Vision 2016 pillars, which call for ‘AN EDUCATED NATION’, A HEALTHY NATION BY 2016, and A COMPASSIONATE, JUST AND CARING NATION”.

We are now moving into the implementation of Life Skills by teachers and the monitoring and evaluation phases. These last two phases are the key to whether the curriculum will be successful and have an impact on people’s lives. We must provide adequate support supervision to the teachers of this new curriculum. We must monitor the process to be sure the curriculum is being faithfully taught be teachers and to see whether it is having the desired effect on young people’s development.


The American government is committed to helping the Government of Botswana in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Our commitment is clear. We have been able to produce materials of such high quality because of the large amount of money we have received to do HIV work in Botswana from President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. PEPFAR as it is known has brought $55 million into Botswana this year. This additional money has allowed the USG to expand it support of HIV/AIDS programs in prevention, care and treatment primarily in the public sector but also in the civil society sector. I am extremely pleased that BOTUSA could collaborate so closely with MOE on these important materials for the children of Botswana.

The curriculum encourages young people to be abstinent until they reach adulthood to protect themselves from HIV and other infections but also to protect themselves emotionally from the consequences of early sexual activity. It encourages them to look forward to a sexual life that involves faithfulness to one HIV-negative partner or spouse. It equips young people with life skills that will help prevent the spread of HIV and other STIs.

The materials go by the slogan “Botswana’s window of hope”. The 5-19 year olds are a window of opportunity for this country. Almost half of Botswana’s population is within this age bracket and fortunately infection rates are very low in this age group. Therefore, there is an untapped opportunity in the schools of Botswana to prevent HIV infections in these children and youth. It is our sincere hope that these curriculum materials, which span all grade levels from Standard 2 through Form 5, will help to save the future generation of this beautiful nation. It is, in fact, our duty to the younger generation to teach life skills that will ensure healthy behaviors and attitudes

Targeted intervention and support to the Ministry of Education can help achieve an AIDS free generation by 2016. Schools have the potential to educate and inform youth on HIV/ AIDS issue. We therefore need to complement school based interventions with community-based interventions, work with parents and families and other adults who influence children. The earlier we start the better since knowledge attitudes and practices are learned from an early age. Healthy adult life styles start in childhood.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am reliably informed that the objective of these materials is to impart knowledge on HIV, AIDS and other STIs, develop healthy living attitudes, build skills for healthy decision making to avoid risk of infection. My plea therefore is for all of us to support these young people in their desire to be an HIV/AIDS free generation. We can do this by networking, resource sharing, and being in close contact with one another. This project has been the result of our close collaboration with the Ministry of Education. I would like to end my remarks by soliciting your support in its implementation in every way possible.

Thank you so much

PULA!