In search of learning for all in Botswana: The role of conceptions of educational equity

To better understand how and why educational policies and practices designed to increase the quality of learning for all may not succeed in doing so, we take up a conceptual question that is underexplored in global education: what does it mean to increase the quality of learning for all? To do so, we examine the case of Botswana through Levinson et al.’s conceptions of educational equity and trade-offs. We combine historical process tracing with a 2017 empirical study of student-level literacy assessments and classroom observations. Our analysis reveals ways in which conceptions of equity influence students’ literacy outcomes and teachers’ pedagogical practices. Botswana has, since Independence, acted on conceptions of equity related to equal allocation of resources and equal experiences for all students. We find that, while foundational, these conceptions of equity also acted as barriers to equal learning outcomes and educational adequacy, which require consideration of differential resources and/or experiences. We argue that conceptions of equity can provide a useful framework in future work aimed toward expanded educational goals and learning for all globally.