The Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) and the Botswana Teaching Professionals Council (BOTEPCO) held a strategic engagement to explore areas of collaboration, particularly in the process of licensing of teaching professionals.
Welcoming the BOTEPCO delegation, BQA Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Boitumelo Watlhaga, emphasised the importance of collaboration among sector institutions whose work collectively contributes to national human capital development.
During the meeting, BOTEPCO sought further understanding on several areas administered by BQA, including:
- Accredited tertiary Education and Training Providers (ETPs)
- Registered qualifications
- Accredited short courses
- Legacy qualifications and deregistered institutions
- Evaluation of external qualifications
- Franchised qualifications
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and systems that support qualification verification and validation
The discussions highlighted the natural synergy between the mandates of the two institutions. While BQA is responsible for the regulation of qualifications through registration, accreditation, recognition, and quality assurance of institutions and programmes, BOTEPCO plays an important role in regulating and professionalising the teaching profession, including matters relating to professional standards, registration, and ethical practice within the teaching sector.
This alignment creates an important link between the quality of qualifications entering the profession and the professional regulation of practitioners who hold those qualifications.
The engagement also included discussions on BOTEPCO’s planned hosting of the 2026 Africa Federation of Teaching Regulatory Authorities (AFTRA) Conference and Roundtable, which presents an opportunity for Botswana to showcase leadership in education quality assurance and professional regulation.
The meeting, as reaffirmed by both institutions, highlighted the importance of inter-agency cooperation in ensuring that qualifications remain credible, professional standards remain high, and learners ultimately benefit from a strong and trusted education system.
BQA remains committed to working with sector stakeholders to build an integrated qualifications framework that supports national development priorities.