COL’s Open Schooling portfolio has supported Botswana Open University (BOU) College of Open Schooling with its digital migration process over the past three years. However, creating a platform to access open content and-or to register for online learning does not mean that everybody knows or understands the potential of such offerings.

There is a continuing need for advocacy and communication so that out-of-school youths know what is available, how to access the opportunities provided and what are the potential benefits. COL supported an outreach initiative in the Kang Region last year under the banner ‘Empowering Business Studies and Mathematics through open educational resources (OER) and Open Courses’. The initiative helped raise the profile of OER and open and distance learning (ODL) provision in the region with requests from other regions in the country for similar outreaches. As a result, another series of outreaches were recently conducted, reaching 480 new students or potential students and 120 teachers.

Dr Tommie Hamaluba, Subject Specialist at BOU’s College of Open Schooling, led the outreach to equip teachers with the latest pedagogical strategies, teaching methodologies, and curriculum alignment techniques. These professional development opportunities have empowered teachers to deliver high-quality instruction and to stay updated with the evolving needs of their students.

Dr Tony Mays, COL’s Education Specialist: Open Schooling observed, “There are many reasons why young people do not access or do not complete traditional schooling. Although we make use of ODL to create more flexible learning pathways into or back into schooling, it is necessary to make potential students aware of what is available and to motivate parents and the wider community to support them in taking up these opportunities.”

As Botswana continues to embrace OER and open courses, the future of education shines bright, with empowered teachers and inspired learners at the forefront of educational innovation and excellence.