Exploring the Teaching and Learning Quality Question in Technical Education in Botswana

Abstract

Due to a perception that the quality of their certificates was in question, students of the Gaborone Technical College (GTC), along with their counterparts in similar institutions, went on a strike in 2016. Based on a subsequent case study of the college, completed in 2018, this article examines the quality question in technical education in Botswana. The study set out to assess the implementation of policies guiding teaching and learning; examines the quality of resources for teaching and learning; appraises the nature and use of support systems for teaching and learning; investigates the views of lecturers and students on the quality of teaching and learning and identifies the factors which inhibit the quality of teaching and learning. Using a mixed method approach, the study collected data from students, lecturers and college managers through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results show the absence of a specific teaching and learning policy, thus questioning the quality of the implementation of the policy itself. The study shows that the availability of resources for enhancing quality teaching is questionable, and the general perception by staff and students is that the overall quality of teaching and learning is average. However, most staff have the required qualifications for quality teaching, adequate support services exist, but a low utilization of the support services is observed. Factors inhibiting the quality of teaching and learning include inadequate library reference materials, the slow pace of internet connectivity, the absence of technical support for staff and inadequate resources in laboratories. In line with the literature, the article recommends a prioritization of quality teaching as a strategic objective, the establishment of a teaching and learning framework and the continuing professional development of staff, among others.