1. Department of Educational Planning and Research Services.
Reflections on Ministry of Basic Education Policy Concerns: Lessons from SACMEC IV- A synopsis on SACMEQ IV results.
Sir Wonder Masebola
Director
Department of Educational Planning and Research Services.
MoBE

2. BACKGROUND FOR SEACMEQ
The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ), formerly SACMEQ is a non-profit organization.

3. OBJECTIVES FOR SEACMEQ
The Objectives of SEACMEQ are to build capacity of its members to monitor and evaluate the quality of education,
To use research to generate information that can be used to improve the quality of education
To use innovative information sharing approaches to disseminate SEACMEQ results and to ensure that SEACMEQ results form the basis for policy and practice.

4. INTRODUCTION
SEACMEQ Consortium has conducted four large-scale cross-national studies on the conditions of schooling and the quality of education in Southern and Eastern Africa namely; SACMEQ I, II, III and IV.

5. SACMEQ IV STUDY SACMEQ IV study data collection was conducted in 2013.
The purpose of the project was to gather information on General conditions of schooling,
Reading and mathematics achievement levels of Grade 6 learners and their teachers, and
Knowledge that learners and their teachers have about HIV and AIDS.

6. SAMPLING & PARTICIPATION
Two stage sampling design used;
Probability-Proportional-to-Size (sampling of Schools based on size of region).
Simple Random Sampling of learners using Computer-generated random numbers.
Participating in SACMEQ IV study were;
4562 standard 6 pupils
435 of their teachers
188 school heads.

7. INSTRUMENTS Data collection instruments included;
School Head Booklets,
School Information Booklets,
Teacher Booklets,
Pupil Booklets
Pupil Name Forms and
School Forms.

8. FINDINGS Discussion of the findings are based on the following;
TRENDS IN ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS OF STANDARD 6 PUPILS IN BOTSWANA
ACCESS TO LEARNING MATERIALS IN BOTSWANA PRIMARY SCHOOLS
PUPILS AND TEACHER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HIV AND AIDS IN BOTSWANA
BREAKFAST & SUPPER PATTERNS

11. FINDINGS
Pupils reading scores increased by 14 points between SACMEQ II and SACMEQ III.
Between SACMEQ III and SACMEQ IV pupil reading scores increased by 32 points.
Botswana was 35 points above the SACMEQ mean

12. Level Description Skill/Competence % 1 Pre–Reading
Reading skill levels
2007
2013
Change
Level
Description
Skill/Competence % 1
Pre–Reading
Matches words and pictures involving concrete concepts and everyday objects
2.9
2.0
-0.9 2
Emergent Reading
Matches words and pictures involving prepositions and abstract concepts
7.7
5.0
-2.7 3
Basic Reading
Interprets meaning (by matching words and phrases, completing sentences).
13.6
8.1
-5.5 4
Reading for Meaning
Reads to link and interpret information located in various parts of the text
19.2
16.5 5
Interpretive Reading
Interprets information from various parts of the text in association with external information
20.7
20.2
-0.5 6
Inferential Reading
Reads to combine information from various parts of the text so as to infer the writer's purpose
17.2
+0.7 7
Analytical Reading
Locates information in longer texts (narrative, document or expository) in order to combine information from various parts of the text so as to infer the writer's personal beliefs (value systems, prejudices and biases).
13.7
20.4
+6.7 8
Critical Reading
Reads from various parts of the text so as to infer and evaluate what the writer has assumed about both the topic and the characteristics of the reader
5.8
10.6
+4.8

13. FINDINGS
Majority of the pupils reached reading competency levels 5 (20.2%) and level 7 (20.4 %).
Noted increases for level 6,7 & 8.
However, a substantial 15.1 % of standard 6 pupils are still at elementary reading competency levels (1-3).

16. FINDINGS
Pupil mathematics scores increased by 8 points and 42 points between SACMEQ II and SACMEQ III and between SACMEQ III and SACMEQ IV respectively.
Botswana was 21 points above the SACMEQ IV mean of 542 points.

17. Mathematics skill levels
2007
2013
Change
Level
Description
Skill/Competence % 1
Pre–Numeracy
Applies single step addition and subtraction
1.5
1.2
-0.3 2
Emergent Numeracy
Applies a two-step addition and subtraction involving carrying
20.9
11.5
-9.4 3
Basic Numeracy
Translates verbal information into arithmetic operations
34.0
22.6
-11.4 4
Beginning Numeracy
Translates verbal or graphic information into simple arithmetic problems
27.2
28.0
+0.8 5
Competent Numeracy
Translates verbal, graphic or tabular information into an arithmetic form in order to solve a given problem
9.2
20.1
+10.9 6
Mathematically Skilled
Solves multiple operation problems (using the correct order) involving fractions, ratios and decimals
6.0
10.7 
+4.7  7
Concrete Problem Solving
Extracts and converts information from tables, charts and other symbolic presentations in order to identify, and then solve multi -step problems
0.9
4.5
+3.6 8
Abstract Problem Solving
Identifies the nature of an unstated mathematical problem embedded within verbal or graphic information and then translate this into symbolic, algebraic or equation form in order to solve a problem
0.4 
1.4  +1

18. FINDINGS Majority of standard 6 pupils reached level 3, 4 & 5.
35.3% of standard 6 pupils are at elementary levels (1-3) for mathematics.

19. National Benchmark is 100%

20. National Benchmark is 100%

21. FINDINGS
Percentage of standard 6 pupils who responded with ‘I use Mathematics textbook by myself’ has decreased from 80 % in the year 2000 to 62 % and 42% in the years 2007 and 2013 respectively.
Percentage of pupils who responded with “I use a reading textbook by myself” was 79 %, 64 % and 45 % in the year 2000, 2007 and 2013.

22. Table 1 : Pupil and Teacher Scores on the SACMEQ HIV/AIDS Knowledge Test (HAKT)
PUPILS TEACHERS
HAKT Score
Reached Minimal Level (%)
Botswana: South East
561 59
848
100
Botswana: Gaborone
550 53
857
Botswana: North East
534 50
816
Botswana: Chobe
529 38
874
Botswana: Kweneng
505 32
839
Botswana: Central
501 31
830
Botswana: Kgatleng
492
829
Botswana: North West
487 27
862
Botswana: South
471 21
Botswana: Kgalagadi
467 19
838
Botswana: Gantsi
455 15
831
BOTSWANA
508 35
837

24. FINDINGS
Standard 6 pupil national score is at 508 while the minimum knowledge level is at 35%.
This is worrisome because all pupils at standard 6 are expected to at least have minimal knowledge on matters related to HIV/AIDS.
Standard 6 pupils are taught by teachers with national score of 837 and minimum knowledge level of 100%.

27. FINDINGS
76 % of standard 6 pupils in Botswana said they do not receive breakfast.
82.9 % of standard 6 pupils in Botswana do not receive supper.
NB: This was not about schools providing meals to pupils but about pupils getting meals from any source.

28. SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS
Botswana was above SACMEQ IV mean in ALL achievement tests (Numeracy, Literacy & HIV/AIDS).
A substantial percentage of standard 6 pupils in Botswana are concentrated within elementary levels of mathematics and reading.
Standard 6 pupils who fall within elementary levels, particularly those in level 1 can hardly read and write without assistance and can only apply single step addition and subtraction.

29. SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS Cont.….,
The percentages of pupils who own textbook have been declining since 2000 to a lower percentage until the year 2013 and this inevitably affect learning and teaching of our pupils.
Pupils are taught by teachers who have displayed high HIV/AIDS knowledge levels yet Standard 6 pupils have unsatisfactory HIV/AIDS knowledge levels.
Over 75% of STD 6 pupils in Botswana do not receive/eat breakfast, over 80% of STD pupils 6 do not receive supper.

30. RECOMMENDATIONS
Department of Curriculum Development and Evaluation should consider developing teaching and learning materials that can enhance literacy and numeracy from lower levels.
Ministry of Basic Education should ensure availability of funds for pupil textbooks; timely procurement and distribution of textbooks for all subjects to schools, and issuance of such to pupils.
MoBE in collaboration with MLGRD should expedite provision of second meal at primary.

31. RECOMMENDATIONS
Department of Basic Education should expedite the implementation of remedial programme at primary schools Ref. RNPE 1994 and the 2020 ETSSP.
MoTE in collaboration with local universities should consider developing short courses programmes which teachers could enrol in to upgrade themselves to help them keep abreast with emerging issues in education

32. end thank you