Dr. Douglas Letsholathebe, the Minister of Education and Skills Development, concurs with the proposal made by Mr. Claver Gatete, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), to increase investments in Africa's education system. Speaking to BOPA during the sidelines of the ongoing AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dr. Letsholathebe highlighted that the education sector continues to receive a significant portion of the total budget allocation.

During the recent budget speech, Minister of Finance, Ms. Peggy Serame, allocated P28.6 billion towards Education and Human Capital Development. She emphasized the government's recognition of the transformative potential of investing in a knowledge-based economy, where knowledge creation and application are central to economic growth.

This sentiment aligns with Mr. Gatete's remarks during the 44th Ordinary session of the Executive Council in Addis Ababa, where he emphasized that investing in education by AU member states would support industrialization, enhance economic growth, and foster job creation and wealth generation for Africans.

Mr. Gatete emphasized the need for a skills revolution driven by science, technology, engineering, and innovation to make the African Continental Free Trade Area successful.

Additionally, Botswana has proposed over P1.02 billion for research and development in the current financial year, a significant increase from the previous budget allocation. Dr. Letsholathebe acknowledged that Botswana has made significant progress in educating Africans suitable for the 21st century. He emphasized that investing in the education system would be crucial in achieving Botswana and Africa's goals of economic growth and job creation.

He stressed the importance of education ministers meeting to discuss pertinent issues affecting education to ensure that African children receive relevant education to tackle contemporary challenges and thrive.

Despite challenges such as shortages of stationery and furniture in some areas, Dr. Letsholathebe expressed the ministry's commitment to resolving these issues. He highlighted that education receives a significant portion of the national budget, emphasizing the ministry's accountability to the nation.

Dr. Letsholathebe expressed satisfaction that a substantial number of schools in Botswana have been digitally connected via SmartBots and provided with gadgets, which he believes will enhance productivity in the education sector.