Educational Reform and the Dependency Paradigm: some considerations from Botswana

Abstract

In common with many other African countries, newly independent Botswana attempted to redress problems in its education sector through the reforming agency of a national education commission. Slightly more than a decade has passed since the National Commission on Education of 1976 carried out its work, and now is an appropriate time to consider its impact. In carrying out this assessment, particular attention will be given to the area of junior secondary education. Furthermore, at this level, some useful insights into the process of reform and its limitations may be gleaned by focusing attention on the area of science education. The analytical framework of the assessment will be that of dependency theory. Although criticism of the pure dependency paradigm (see, for example, Blomstrom & Hettne, 1984), has been widespread, particularly its application to the analysis of superstructural features, it will be argued here that the Botswana economy can be described by the dependency model. Within the sphere of education, which is part of the superstructure, local resistance and adaptation appeared at certain key points of conflict to mitigate a simple centre-periphery picture. A pure dependency model, in which there are only puppets but no autonomous actors, does not fit Botswana education. Significant local initiatives, some reactionary, some progressive, emerged to produce what has the semblance of an equitable education system. Nonetheless, when probing deeper, evidence of structural inequality is still found. The first part of the paper considers the origins of the commission in the political context of the time. Next, the philosophy of the commission is examined and located within that of international educational planning circles. Conflict between the commission and one of its key working groups regarding the direction of junior secondary education is noted, although it is clear that the parties held similar views concerning the senior secondary endpoint of the education system. This part of the paper covers what might be seen as the first phase of post-independence education, in which only the topmost positions of the Ministry of Education were in local hands. It is argued that to this time a strong dependency relationship existed at all levels of the education system. The second phase is that where localisation spread to lower levels of decision-making, and covers the period to the introduction of new wider-based syllabuses in 1986. It is argued that this led to a shift in 'ownership' of