The changing role of teachers in reversing poverty and inequality : evidence from Botswana
This study explores the important relationship between policy variables that represent a school's human resources and product variables in the form of student performance in Botswana's schools. A focus of particular interest is if the teaching environment is related to student success and whether it can promote equity in learning between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Data for the study are drawn from a rich survey of students, teachers and schools in Southern and Eastern Africa. The results point to a clear association between teacher content preparation and student achievement. Regular assessment is associated with better performance and greater social equity between students within the same school. Policy implications related to teacher preparation programmes in Botswana are discussed.
The vastness of the World Wide Web is both its attraction and its challenge. For people with a high-speed connection, plenty of time, and experience with technology, the Web can be a wonderful resource. Unfortunately, most teachers needing instructional resources for their classrooms do not have these assets. LEARN NC was created with this mainstream of teachers in mind, and to a great extent we have made the Web more accessible to them. Although we cannot give them more or faster Internet connections, we can help them make more efficient use of the time they have by making resources easy to use and providing training.