By the close of the twentieth century, higher education in Botswana,
like in many developing countries, had been transformed from the preserve
of the elite into a more accessible arena that annually enrols large numbers of
students from all sectors of society. is change reects shifts in demographics,
economics and politics, as well as a signicant improvement in the number of
children who have access to primary and secondary education. e adoption
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (which ushered in
e€orts by the United Nations to promote social, economic and cultural rights
in tandem with civil and political rights), the 1989 Convention on the Rights of
the Child (which became binding in international law in 1990), the 1990 World
Conference on Education for All (held in Jomtien, ailand), and the Dakar
Framework for Action (adopted in 2000), have all pressured many countries
around the globe to commit to improving citizens’ access to education.
After the 1990 Jomtein Conference, the principle of education for all was
strongly emphasised, and the international community was urged to prioritise
basic education. At the same time, it was acknowledged that di€erent learners
have di€erent basic learning needs and di€erent ways of meeting their needs.
As noted by Torres (1999), basic learning needs vary with individual countries
and cultures, social groups and population categories (according to race, age,
gender, culture, religion, territory, etc.) and with the passage of time. e
Dakar Framework espoused six goals that all emphasise:
● Full and equal access, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
● Equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults.
● Equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes
(World Education Forum 2000).