moesd comms strat v1.1n - botswana · tertiary education & funding, curriculum development and...

Ministry of Education and Skills Development Communications Strategy

December 2012

Version 1.1

Document Control Preparation

Prepared By: Name Date

Leadership Education And Development (Pty) Ltd

Letsema Motsemme

21/12/12

Release

Version Date Released Pages Affected Remarks

V1.1 27/03/13 All Final

Sign-‐Off

Name Position/ Role Signature Date

F. L. Tlhoiwe Deputy Permanent Secretary, Corporate Services, MoESD. Project Sponsor

Oarabile Phefo Principal Public Relations Officer MoESD Project Manager

Chris Hughes Managing Director, LEAD Project Manager

user284

Sticky Note

Table of Contents

Document Control ....................................................................................................................... 2

Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................................................... 4

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 6

Background and Context ........................................................................................................... 7 National Context .............................................................................................................................................................................. 7 MOESD Mandate and Structure ................................................................................................................................................ 7 MoESD Department Objectives ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Public Relations Office .............................................................................................................................................................. 11 MoESD Current Major Initiatives ........................................................................................................................................... 12 MOESD Stakeholders and Current Communication Channels ............................................................................... 13

Communication Channels Commonly Used: Pros and Cons ................................................................................ 14 SWOT Analysis .............................................................................................................................................................................. 18 PEST Analysis .................................................................................................................................................................................. 21

Communication Strategy ......................................................................................................... 22 Strategic Vision (Desired End State) ..................................................................................................................................... 22 Objectives of the Communication Strategy ...................................................................................................................... 22 High-Level Targets ....................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Strategic Themes and Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 24 Strategic Initiatives ....................................................................................................................................................................... 25 Strategic Road-Map ...................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Critical Success Factors .............................................................................................................................................................. 28 Quick-Wins ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Key Messages .................................................................................................................................................................................. 29 Communication Matrix .............................................................................................................................................................. 31 Strategy Implementation Plan ................................................................................................................................................. 36 Corporate Communication Office ........................................................................................................................................ 38 Role of Regional Communication Representatives ....................................................................................................... 39

Communication Policy considerations .................................................................................... 41

Crisis Communication Plan ..................................................................................................... 43 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 43 Crisis Communication Team ................................................................................................................................................... 43 Terms of Reference for the Crisis Communication Team ............................................................................................. 44 Interacting with the Media ....................................................................................................................................................... 44 Audiences ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Key Messages .................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 Crisis Communication Process ............................................................................................................................................... 45

Planning for Crisis Communication ..................................................................................................................................... 46 Crisis Communication Matrix ................................................................................................................................................. 49

Appendix A – Recommendations ............................................................................................ 50

Private & Confidential

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Communication Strategy for the Ministry of Education and Skills Development 4

Abbreviations and Acronyms BEC Botswana Examinations Council

BEH Botswana Education Hub

BGCS Botswana Government Communication Services

BNCQF Botswana National Credit Qualifications Framework

BOCODOL Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning

BoTA Botswana Training Authority

BQA Botswana Qualifications Authority

CCT Crisis Communication Team

CMT Crisis Management Team

CRT Crisis Response Team

DBE Department of Basic Education

DCDE Department of Curriculum Development and Evaluation

DCS Directorate of Corporate Services

DIT Department of Information and Technology

DRO Department of Regional Operations

DSSS Department of Special Support Services

DTD Department of Training and Development

DTEF Department of Tertiary Education and Financing

DTS Department of Technical Services

DTVET Department of Technical Vocational Educational and Training

EASSy Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System

GDN Government Data Network

HRDC Human Resource Development Council

ICT Information Communication Technology

IT Information Technology

MFAIC Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

MFDP Ministry of Finance and Development Planning

MIST Ministry of Infrastructure Science and Technology


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MLG Ministry of Local Government

MLH Ministry of Lands and Housing

MoA Ministry of Agriculture

MoESD Ministry of Education and Skills Development

MPU Manpower Planning Unit

NGOs Non-Government Organizations

NSO National Strategy Office

OP Office of the President

PIC Performance Improvement Coordinator

PRO Public Relations Office

TEC Tertiary Education Council

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

VPN Virtual Private Network

WASSy West African Submarine Cable System


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Introduction The objective of this Communication Strategy is to promote effective information sharing within MoESD and between the Ministry and stakeholders and customers (students / learners and parents). Information sharing describes the exchange of data between various organizations, people and technologies. It is essential to enable early intervention to help customers and stakeholders who need the Ministry’s services to achieve positive outcomes. It is the key to the Ministry’s goal of delivering better, more efficient services that are coordinated around the needs of customers. The Ministry’s business environment requires effective communication processes to cope with the large organizational structure, a wide array of educational service to disseminate, the widely dispersed Ministry staff throughout the country, increased stakeholder involvement, advances in communication technology, and the shift from the traditional toward knowledge-based economy. Barriers to communication, such as information overload, circuitous communication protocols, and uncoordinated messages lead to mistakes, misunderstandings and interpersonal issues. The communication strategy, if well implemented, offers the Ministry’s staff the opportunity to communicate effectively with the organizational hierarchy as well as with external stakeholders. Obviously, addressing the broad array of initiatives identified and included in the communication strategy and managing their implementation is a large undertaking. To assist with this undertaking, an Implementation Plan for the communications strategy has been developed and represents a consolidated list of action-oriented strategic initiatives.


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Background and Context

National Context

Vision 2016 is a long-term objective that provides an insight into the direction that the people of Batswana desire to move by the year 2016. It reflects the aspirations of Batswana about their future through the seven Pillars that support the creation and maintenance of a nation founded on a set of nationally agreed ideals. The seven Vision 2016 pillars support the creation of:

1. An Educated and Informed Nation

2. A Prosperous, Productive and Innovative Nation

3. A Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation

4. A Safe and Secure Nation

5. An Open, Democratic and Accountable Nation

6. A Moral and Tolerant Nation

7. A United and Proud Nation

To ensure the attainment of the goals of Vision 2016, the national development objectives for the three consecutive planning periods, NDP 8, NDP 9 and NDP 10, are closely aligned to the Vision goal. In addition, the themes of NDP 9 and NDP 10 highlight the unique importance of Vision 2016 in the development of the country:

• NDP 9 Theme: "Towards Realization of Vision 2016: Sustainable and Diversified Development through Competitiveness in Global Markets"

• NDP 10 Theme: "Creating the conditions for accelerated private sector growth, in order to reach Vision 2016 targets".

The goals of Vision 2016 are cascaded to the national level through the implementation of NDP 10 programs and projects.

MOESD Mandate and Structure

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development aspires to be a world-class provider of quality, accessible and equitable life-long education and training. It’s objective is to raise educational standards at all levels with emphasis on 1

• Improving science and technology in the education system

• Making further education and training more relevant and available to a larger number of people

• Improving partnership between school and community in the development of education

• Providing life-long education to all sections of the population 1 . Report on the Organizational Restructuring of the Ministry of Education. Final Report, October 2006


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• Assuming more effective control of the examination mechanism in order to ensure that the broad objectives of the curriculum are realized

• Achieving efficiency in educational development.

The major functions of the Ministry include

• Overall Policies, Strategies and Leadership

• Basic Education

• Technical and Vocational Education

• Out-of-School Education

• Curriculum Development and Evaluation

• Decentralized Regional Education Services

• Education Human Resource Development

• Support Services

• Tertiary Education

• Tertiary Education Financing

• Inspectorate Services

• Education Human Resource Management

The following is the organizational structure of the Ministry provided by the Ministry’s Public Relations Office.


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The Ministry, as a result of rapid growth in the education system, has transferred some of its functions to the regions. This was done without a comprehensive decentralized structure and risks compromising the effective and efficient implementation of the mandate through these functions. The greatest challenges exist where departments have unilaterally decentralized these functions at the expense of other departments or functions that interface with them, such as the cascading of the MOESD’s strategic plan to regional and school levels.2

MoESD Department Objectives The Ministry performs its functions through its various departments that were identified and reported on their core functions, namely, Directorate of Corporate Services, Basic Education, Tertiary Education & Funding, Curriculum Development and Evaluation, Office of Regional Operations, Special Support Services, Technical Services, Technical Vocational and Educational Training, Training and Development, and Botswana Education Hub. The main objectives and core functions of these departments are summarized as follows.

2. Ibid

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Department Main Objective Core Functions

Technical Vocational and Educational Training

Formulate policies to provide for skilled needs of the country in order to align education and training provision with the demands of the labour market

Provide vocational, technical education and training; Develop core skills and professional and technical specialist skills for accessing high-skills, high-wage jobs

Basic Education Develop overall basic education policy and monitor and evaluate policy impact

Policies and programs implementation for Secondary education, Pre-School & Primary education, and Out of school education and training.

Curriculum Development and Evaluation

Develop overall curriculum policy pertaining to pre-primary & primary, secondary education, Out-of-School Education & Training, and Technical, Vocational Education and Training

Design and develop curriculum; Distribute curriculum to learners; Staff welfare

Tertiary Education and Financing

Develop overall policy on financing pre-service education and training at post secondary level in order to direct technical and professional manpower needs of the country

Sponsorship for qualifying tertiary students; Ensure efficient use of government resources.

Training and Development

Link the processes of Teacher Training with those of Curriculum Development and develop education programmes for teachers in primary, secondary and teacher training institutions.

Develop a well qualified and highly motivated local teaching staff by translating Government policies into realistic teacher education programmes and building institutional capacity for teacher development in the schools through training of trainers.

Directorate of Corporate Services

Formulate and interpret policy, facilitate implementation of the human resource management policy

Human Resource Management (Recruitment); Record Management; Procurement & Tendering

Special Support Services

Develop policies and strategies that effectively guide the implementation of programs that help to facilitate the achievement of the holistic development of learners.

Corporate Health & Welfare; Special Education Needs; Guidance & Counseling

Technical Services

Facilitate timely building, completion, and maintanance of all education facilities in order to provide learning / accommodation facilities.

Coordinate construction work of on-going education facilities and ensure that all buildings constructed conform to acceptable specifications, quality, and standards

Office of Regional Operations

Create a systematic coordination of the Ministry’s functions at local level by bringing services closer to the clientele and communities

Provide direction and guidance on the implementation of the Ministry’s education program

Botswana Education Hub

Position Botswana to become a regional centre of excellence in education.

Create Botswana as an Education Hub; Facilitate strategic partnerships to help promote studying in Botswana


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Public Relations Office Public Relations is a strategic function and the mouthpiece through which the Permanent Secretary promulgates important policy pronouncements within the Ministry, Nationally and Internationally. There is only one other Public Relations function in Department Tertiary Education and Financing. As a result there is poor coordination in this function, leading to inconsistencies in information dissemination. The existing Public Relations function is currently under the Department of Corporate Services.

The Public Relations Office (PRO) exists to provide public relations and general support services to enable the Ministry to liaise more effectively with stakeholders, external organizations and other government ministry departments, by improving communication and information dissemination. In particular, the PRO:

a) Receives regular updates from departments so as to be aware of the current issues

b) Collects and disseminates news and information about the ministry, its policies, achievements, initiatives and upcoming events.

c) Arranges for the distribution of publicity material and press releases to the media.

d) Answers queries of general nature received from members of the public, external organizations, and government departments.

e) Attend to Parliamentary, Ntlo ya Dikgosi, and District / Town Council matters

f) Maintains a comprehensive selection of Ministerial pamphlets, posters, handouts and arrange their distribution

g) Liaises with other ministries and external agencies on general matters to the operations of the Ministry.

h) Leads the development of communication strategies for specific products, services and interventions of the Ministry.


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MoESD Current Major Initiatives

The Ministry has launched a number of initiatives that help support efforts to improve the Ministry’s image, communicate information about its products and services, raise educational standards through involvement of its key stakeholders in the welfare of students and learners, and motivate both teachers and students.

Strategic Initiatives Objective

1. Taking the Ministry to the People

• To reach out and sensitize the communities in the most remote areas about programs, policies and projects of the Ministry

2. Education Pitsos

• To consult stakeholders on particular themes or policy initiatives and to obtain feedback regarding improvement of the education system

3. Adopt-a-school

• To improve the school program and curricular and create a sense of personal relationship between schools and business entities

4. Teachers Day Celebrations and Awards

• To recognize the importance of teachers and motivate them in their work

5. Thematic Working Groups

• To create and maintain benefial relationships between the Ministry and various stakeholders the Ministry has established the private sector, piublic sector, civil society, teade unions, and development partners committees to, among other things, provide feedback and advise on the delivery of education in Botswana.

6. Top Achievers Celebrations

• To motivate students and schools to excell at their work

7. Back-to-School Program

• To ensure that all children/pupils who are not in schools for different reasons are enrolled back to the learning rooms


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MOESD Stakeholders and Current Communication Channels The Ministry stakeholders can be grouped and considered in many different ways. From a communication perspective, seven (7) key stakeholder groups were identified, namely, Internal, Government, Parastatals and Semi-Autonomous Institutions, Strategic Partners, Service Providers, Customers and Media.

MOESD& Na)on&

Government&

Internal&

Parastatals&/&Semi8Autonomous&

Customers&

Strategic&Partners&

Service&Providers&

Media&


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Communication Strategy for the Ministry of Education and Skills Development

14

Communication Channels Commonly Used: Pros and Cons

Type of Channel Content / Focus Stakeholder Group Pros Cons

Interpersonal Channels • Formal and

Informal Meetings

Specific to the target group and the purpose / objectives of the meeting.

• All

• Can be motivational, influential, supportive

• Can improve cohesion within the business and people get to relate better professionally

• Can have limited intended audience reach

• Workload suffers due to high meeting frequency and absence of personnel from workstations

Community Channels • Pitso • Kgotla

• Policy changes • Public consultation • Ministry’s achievements • Feedback on Ministry’s

consultations

• Customers • Media

• Can reach larger intended audience in one place

• Interactive with immediate feedback

• Key stakeholder involvement

• May send out mixed messages • No guarantee for attendance by

the right audience • Platform subject to manipulation

Mass Media Channels

• Newspapers

• Policy changes • Information on current

developments • Ministry’s achievements

• Customers

• Can reach broad intended audiences rapidly and convey news more thoroughly than and faster than magazines

• Coverage demands a newsworthy item and article placement requires targeting the right newspapers for the right audience

• Radio / Television

• Policy changes • Public consultation • Ministry’s achievements

• Customers

• Reaches potentially a large and wide range of intended audiences

• Visual combined with audio good for emotional appeals and demonstrating behaviours

• Opportunity for direct intended audience involvement (through Radio call-in shows)

• Message may be obscured by commercial clutter

• Limited by TV availability and signal coverage

• Internet / Website

• Policy changes • Ministry achievements

• All

• Can reach large numbers of people rapidly

• Can instantaneously update and disseminate information

• Requires access to Internet • Intended audience must be

proactive--must search or sign up for information


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15


Savingram Directives Memo

• Information dissemination o Policy o Training o Implementation of initiatives

• Internal • Government

• Represent a permanent record • Can have a wide coverage • Opportunity for feedback

• Not easy to correct inadvertent original errors

• Snail-pace due to transport situation

• No guarantee to reach intended audience

Letters

• Information dissemination o Policy o Training o Implementation of initiatives

• Parastatals • Service Providers • Strategic Partners

• Represent a permanent record • Can have a wide coverage • Opportunity for feedback

• Not easy to correct inadvertent original errors

• Snail-pace due to transport situation

• No guarantee to reach intended audience

Email • Information dissemination • Making enquiries and follow up

action

• All

• Makes quick sharing of information with a large group of people easy

• Offers opportunity for immediate feedback

• There is a large digital divide amongst the intended audience

• Requires appropriate ICT infrastructure and user training for optimal utilization

Lotus – calendars intranet

• Information dissemination • Making enquiries and follow up

action

• Internal

• Makes quick sharing of

information with a large group of people easy

• Dependent upon well-maintained and supported client/server software, network infrastructure, and user competency

Telephone Cellphone

• Information dissemination • Making enquiries and follow up

action

• All

• Conversation is relatively private

with opportunity for Immediate feedback

• The person must be available to take the call

• Opportunity for manipulation if there is no functionality to verify caller / person called


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16


Fax • Information dissemination • Making enquiries and follow up

action

• All

• Simple to use and require very

little training • Allow copies of hand written

information or images to be transmitted without the need for special preparation

• No immediate response or feedback from recipient

• Quality of the document received is often poor with loss of some fine detail

• Takes long to transmit if information is contained in many sheets of paper

Short Message Service (SMS)

• Information dissemination o Examination results o Feedback on students

enquiries

• Customers

• Perhaps most ubiquitous form of communication in Botswana which can be capitalized upon

• Relatively low cost • Can save time sending a message

to several recipients rather than making a number of telephone calls

• Can send messages any time of the day

• Only short messages can be sent • May require text-speak that may

hamper formal communication • Confirmation of message delivery

difficult to verify

Audio / Video Conferencing

• Information sharing / consultations with partners

• Strategic Partners • Internal (Regional Offices)

• Can hold meetings with people in different locations without the need to travel

• Document sharing on the screen

• Requires access to suitable

hardware and software

Social Media (Facebook)

• Information dissemination / sharing and feedback

• Customers

• No cost other than manpower • Best opportunity to interact

and convey information to students

• Appeals to a wide demographic targeted by the Ministry

• Privacy and Information Security concerns

• Potential to reveal quite extensive personal information about users


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Workshops / Retreats

• Collaborative development, training or broad information sharing

• All

• Less interruptions caused by routine activities

• Opportunity for less mundane activities, e.g. team-build,

• High levels of buy-in and ownership

• Can be relatively expensive to conduct

• Rarely achieving 100% participation and thus resulting in exclusions.


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SWOT Analysis The assessment of internal factors (Strengths and Weaknesses) and the external environment (Opportunities and Threats) that affect the Ministry’s communication capabilities was facilitated through stakeholders’ consultative workshops and focus group sessions. STRENGTHS Strength is a resource or capacity that can be used effectively to achieve the communications strategy project objective

Supportive Environment

• There is a growing awareness of the importance of a Communications Strategy to drive the mandate of the Ministry and communicate the services to the general public

• The Ministry has support for the development of the strategy as a mandatory requirement for all government institutions and, therefore, access to related funds

• The staff of the Ministry is willing to cooperate in the development of the strategy in order to improve their effectiveness as well as remove the negative perceptions of the Ministry

• The country’s multi-party democracy provides for governance oversight that requires transparency of communication methods and decision-making process

• The Ministry has a strong legacy in developing the country’s manpower since independence

Utilization of Public Media and Traditional Platforms

• The Ministry is utilizing the public media (BTV, radio, print) as well as the traditional platforms such as Pitso, Kgotla to communicate its services to the public

ICT Infrastructure – physical and human

• The Ministry taps on the high annual output of IT graduates from local institutions to improve its internal ICT capacity

• The Ministry has invested in computers for staff and at some primary schools for teaching purposes

• There is increased accessibility and use of mobile communication devices within the Ministry


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WEAKNESSES Weaknesses are the Ministry’s limitations in communication that may be the reason for the communication strategy.

Communication Barriers

• Bad perception of MOESD by media houses and general public

• The channels of communication are unclear due to the many layers between the senders and recipients of messages leading to poor flow of information

• Poor maintenance support for equipment and network infrastructure at headquarters and remote areas or rural schools inhibits flow of information

• The existing culture of avoidance of ICT tools inhibits an optimal utilization of available communication equipment

• There are existing cultures of ‘silos’, mindset, and resistance to change that can jeopardize the strategy implementation

Organizational Structure and Coordination

• The Ministry’s communication functions are centralized at headquarters while the responsible PRO is poorly resourced relative to its role and responsibilities

• The current position of PRO in the organizational structure is not optimally placed relative to the role and responsibilities

• The staff complement of the PRO is inadequate to fully meet the communication requirements of the Ministry

• There is poor coordination regarding the Ministry’s IT departments and lack of ICT policy.

• There is poor coordination of messages from MoESD business units and lack of effective consultation of relevant interaction groups when introducing new initiatives

• The Ministry executives are prone to sending inconsistent and conflicting, often confusing messages

Crisis Communication

• The Ministry is usually re-active in identifying crisis situations and is not effectively addressing emerging crisis situations and alleviating consequential damage

ICT Infrastructure and Staff Competency

• There is poor utilization of existing IT infrastructure

• The GDN infrastructure has not been heavily upgraded or audited since implementation and there is poor bandwidth throughput throughout the government

• There is low computer competency and confidence levels amongst most Ministry staff


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OPPORTUNITIES These are favorable situations to be leveraged in developing the communications strategy.

ICT Technology Development, Infrastructure & ICT Literacy • The global technological advancement in ICT offers great opportunities for adaptation of existing

technologies for local use rather than developing new ones • The EASSy and WASSy, an undersea fibre optic cable system connecting countries of eastern and

western Africa to the rest of the world, has the potential to increase Internet accessibility at lower cost in the country.

• There is an abundance of educated ICT manpower in the country and an increasing national social networking

• There is electricity to support ICT development in most populated parts of the country

Public Interest and Support & Reputation • There is interest and support by the civil society to improve MoESD’s communication

effectiveness • Botswana has a reputable international image

THREATS Threats constitute a menace in the environment that may jeopardize the success of communication

Political • The sensitive nature of issues that the Ministry deals with can be a platform for organized

effort that seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific interest group • There are political influences that may override the communication strategy requirements • There can be disruption by interest groups that could benefit from the status quo, such as the

media and politicians benefiting as a result of sensational issues

Financial • The potential global recession and consequent national budgetary constraints can limit the

funding opportunities for implementation of the strategy

Public Expectations and Perceptions

• There are high expectations by stakeholders that the strategy will address all communication problems and improve the Ministry’s overall performance and this euphoria can create a lot of pressure on the Ministry during implementation of the strategy

• There is loss of trust on the Ministry by some external stakeholders and the general publics that can lead to a lethargic implementation of the strategy

Information Overload • As more information is disseminated to the public in bulk through the mass media and other

high-speed ICT tools, there is a likely reduction in its quality and less cognitive processing by the recipients

Distractions • There are continuous “fires” that distract efforts toward pro-active and constructive

communication


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PEST Analysis “Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis" was employed to describe the macro-environmental factors framework in the environmental scanning component of the communications strategy. Political

• The political leadership of the Ministry must satisfy both the Ministry agenda as well as the Political manifesto

• The MOESD is a highly sensitive Ministry due to recent turns of events (teachers crisis, student welfare issues, etc.) and is in “recovery” mode

• The MOESD political position can be used as a political campaign platform by different interest groups

• The Freedom of Information Bill is currently being debated in Parliament and could have implications on media and other communication within the country

• Botswana has a relatively stable political environment that is conducive to inflows of foreign investment

Economic

• The potential global recession limits foreign direct invest opportunities and threatens the national budget with prospects for the government implementing austerity measures

• Diminishing foreign reserves limit the scope for import of goods and services

Social

• There is a high-level of reliance or entitlement attitude by public on Government that diverts critical resources from development projects to welfare

• There is an increase use and accessibility of mobile devices and social networking, suggesting an increasing understanding, appreciation and demand for ICT equipment

• There is a high number of IT graduates

• The education landscape is undergoing significant transformation with the advent of the HRDC and BQA.

Technological

• The Undersea Cable is expected to increase bandwidth availability and relieve the GDN currently experiencing increasingly diminished bandwidth and poor performance

• Virus prevention and removal causes high-volume of support calls to DIT


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Communication Strategy

Strategic Vision (Desired End State) Communication is a core strategic function of any organization, and with the diversification of the global information landscape, it has increasing importance in managing and sustaining the organization’s relationship with key audiences. It helps the leadership to achieve its strategic and operational goals. As such, communication is an integral part of management responsibility. The strategic vision for the communication strategy of the Ministry is understood as follows:

• An efficient and effective way of sharing information with stakeholders and customers without reliance to labour intensive processes. One of the approaches is through Automated Responses -- ability to share information without the need for customers to make a call regarding the products and services offered by the Ministry

• Creating clear, consistent messages that make best use of communication resources to link the Ministry’s strategic objectives to diverse operational activities of the Ministry’s departments in a way that appeals to the partners and stakeholders

• Facilitating a change in staff behavior to achieve management objectives

• Contributing towards commitment to high-performance, high quality information sharing at all times

• Support policy-making and guide consistent information sharing within MoESD and between the Ministry and stakeholders

Objectives of the Communication Strategy

The aim of the Communications Strategy is to

• Articulate, explain and promote the organizational vision (with a set of defined objectives) in order to achieve management objectives through change in behavior

• Endorse communication as a priority issue in support of the aims and objectives of the Ministry, and ensure consistency and accountability when communicating with stakeholders

• Raise general awareness towards the Ministry programme, its activities and its potential impact to the nation


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High-Level Targets The communication strategy and all related interventions have been defined and prioritized to achieve clear impact for the Ministry in terms of sharing the key messages of the Ministry with its stakeholders, effectively communicating the major initiatives and policies of the Ministry, and managing the public perception of the Ministry to support effective delivery of the Ministry services. High-Level Targets (HLT’s) have been identified to measure progress toward these aims and will serve as the indicators of success of both strategy implementation and the Public Relations Office as a whole. The HLT’s do not currently exist and therefore require the establishment of a baseline before realistic targets can be set. Upon establishment of this baseline, the targets will be defined and this document will be updated accordingly.

Measure Indicators 2013 Target

2014 Target

2015 Target

2016 Target

Media Monitoring # of Positive Media Reports / # of Negative Media Reports (monthly

Establish baseline

MOESD Staff Satisfaction (with regard to communication and Public Perception)

% Staff Satisfaction Establish baseline

Public Perception of MOESD

% Positive Public Perception Establish baseline


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Strategic Themes and Objectives The following table provides the high-level business strategies that form the basis for the Ministry’s communications strategy.

Strategic Theme Objective Indicator

1. Capacity Building • To achieve sustainable, efficient and effective results in implementing the communications strategy by providing staff training and ensuring the leadership is positioned and committed to drive implementation of the strategy

• Improved delegation • Increased capacity /

delivery • Turn-around time for

queries (e.g. media)

2. Organizational Structures and Processes

• To develop efficient communication structures and processes to deliver on the communication mandate

• Decentralized Communication

• % Automation

3. Positioning • To ensure a holistic marketing strategy that influences the positive perception of the Ministry and keeps all stakeholders fully informed of the functions and accomplishments of the Ministry (This area focuses on the presentation and content of MOESD material to communicate products and services.)

• Public perception • % Stakeholders

Informed • Positive vs. Negative

media articles

4. Infrastructure and Equipment

• To ensure the provision of relevant and up to-date infrastructure and equipment to drive the effective implementation of the communications strategy

• Increased asset value • Number of MOU’s • % gaps addressed

5. Data Packaging • To ensure information is availed in an accessible and user friendly manner

• % of stakeholders Informed

• % of MOESD programmes covered

• % of material reviewed / revised

6. Monitoring and Evaluation

• To put in place a feedback system to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the communications strategy toward achievement of strategic goals. To distil essential information from the volumes of data captured (Intelligence gathering, output, outcome, impact)*

• To enable self-evaluation leading to continuous service delivery improvement

• To ensure alignment of the communications strategy objectives with the Ministry strategy

• % Communications Strategy Implementation

• % of feedback received

• Number of improvements made

7. Communications Policy

• To develop a communications policy and implementation guidelines for the Ministry

• Approved policy

8. Crisis Communication

• To respond quickly and manage perceptions around the crisis and ensure the Ministry is responsive and pro-active in identifying and appropriately addressing crisis situations (and potential crisis situations), including mitigating collateral damage

• Number of crisis • Response time to

crisis • Number of issues

requiring the Minister’s intervention


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Strategic Initiatives The following initiatives have been identified as the means through which the strategic objectives of the communications strategy are translated into practice.

Strategic Theme Strategic Initiatives

1. Capacity Building

a. To organize training programs to facilitate effective implementation of the communications strategy

b. To improve the skills and competency levels of PROs

(PR Office to be well informed of communications that are going out to the public – from Minister, Permanent Secretary, Directors, and others -- as well as have a good working relationship with the Minister)

c. To organize orientation programs for internal and external stakeholders and media workshops

d. To cascade the communications strategy to all levels of the Ministry and provide the necessary training to staff

e. Staff the PRO at the level commensurate with the roles and responsibilities

2. Organizational Structures and Processes

a. Establish a clear and detailed communication structure with communications unit managed by PR staff, a decentralized communication function to all education regions, and clearly defined roles for optimum support. (Consider similar structure as Parliament and MLG where there are dedicated PR Officers in the regions. There should be a portal to facilitate sharing of information across all regions).

b. To position the PRO within the Ministry at a level commensurate to its required roles and responsibilities.

c. Identify core communication processes of the Ministry for documentation, improvement and possible automation (e.g. automatic responses for frequent queries)

d. Clarify communication roles of all key staff within the core communication processes of the Ministry

e. Develop communication procedures for core communication processes (e.g. gathering and sharing of parliamentary responses and other government decisions)


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3. Infrastructure & Equipment

a. To identify the infrastructure and equipment required for the communications strategy (e.g. access devices such as items of ICT equipment including the associated operating software that are directly used by staff; network infrastructure to connect the access devices to the required tools, services and digital resource; application software that provides specific functionality; support resources such as people and skills, processes) - Scanner, Portal, Radios / TV for monitoring

b. To equip PRO with vehicles and mobile devises to effectively support the Ministry’s implementation of the communications strategy

c. To audit specific communication infrastructure and address the identified gaps

d. Investigate the opportunities to leverage other under-utilized infrastructure within Government (e.g. MoA communications infrastructure)

4. Positioning

a. Execute a clear brand development process and launch the communications strategy

b. Develop a media engagement strategy (e.g. regular issue targeted press conferences and media briefings, Ministry news articles, Radio / TV Talk Shows –Explore relations w/media, etc)

c. Develop and distribute the Ministry’s audio-visual corporate communications material

d. Launch a brand campaign that celebrates previous successes and emerging accomplishments (e.g. using “quick facts”)

e. Current Ministry’s Initiatives:

Take the Ministry to the People: Sensitize the communities in the most remote areas about programs, policies and projects of the Ministry

Education Pitso: consult stakeholders on particular themes or policy initiatives and to obtain feedback regarding improvement of the education system

Adopt a school: create a sense of personal relationship between schools and business entities

Teachers’ Day Celebration and awards: recognize the importance of teachers and motivate them in their work

Thematic Working Groups on Labour Relations: deal harmoniously with labour and staff welfare issues

Top Achievers Celebration: Motivate schools to excell at their work


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5. Data Packaging

a. Review existing information packaging and develop standard templates

b. Review existing corporate literature and align content with the key messages of the Ministry and government (NB All communications and material should support and drive a few fundamental Ministry messages)

c. Review existing corporate literature and align with the intended stakeholder group (e.g. technical language)

d. Fully capitalize on social media platforms and synchronize with traditional outlets (fully leverage technology)

6. Monitoring and Evaluation

a. Develop a monitoring and evaluation plan

b. Establish an internal and external customer feedback system

c. Establish a cross functional communication strategy implementation core team (incorporate change management)

d. Develop and implement communication service standards

e. Develop and implement monthly activity plan and communication plan

f. Develop the MoESD website and social media network analysis methodology to generate statistical and demographic data that indicates search traffic

7. Communications Policy

a. Develop communications policy and guidelines for the Ministry (including social media) – incl. ICT policy and the communication framework to establish standard operating procedures

8. Crisis Communication

a. Develop a Crisis Communication Plan

b. Establish a crisis communication team and operating procedures

c. Establish procedures for responding to the media

d. Organize crisis management workshops


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Strategic Road-Map

Critical Success Factors The following factors are vital for the Ministry’s communications strategy to be successful and they must be given special and continual attention to bring about high performance

1. The Ministry leadership (management) buy-in and support and must meet the highest expectation of the Senior Executive.

2. Adequate funding for the Ministry’s communication requirements and the Ministry’s ability to achieve key infrastructure requirements.

3. Development of a comprehensive and realistic Action Plan / Execution Plan that is owned and driven by the Public Relations Office.

4. Broad stakeholder buy-in to the new Logo and identity.

5. Implementation of Quick-Wins to demonstrate early impact regarding media and public perception.

Roles&&&Responsibili,es&

Capacity&Building&

Monitoring&&&Evalua,on&

Posi,oning&;&Brand&

Infrastructure&&&Equipment&

Crisis&Communica,on&

Communica,on&Policy&

Qui

ck W

ins

Stra

tegi

c Pr

iorit

ies

Harmonized&MOESD&Ini,a,ve&Communica,on&Strategies&


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6. Strong monitoring and evaluation for implementation and impact of the strategy.

7. Ability to successfully communicate and sell the strategy to key stakeholders.

Quick-Wins Quick-‐Wins are initiatives that have been identified based on the following factors:

• The initiative is considered absolutely necessary and a priority for the Ministry.

• The initiative can be completed in a relatively short period of time.

• There are few obstacles to overcome in the implementation of the initiative.

• The initiative will not require significant resources to implement and achieve impact.

The following Quick-‐Wins have been identified for this strategy:

1. Development of a Ministry Communication Policy that will guide all communication across the ministry both internal and external.

2. Development and implementation of a Crisis Communication Plan.

3. Harmonized MOESD Initiative Communication Strategies – incl. Guidelines for Programme Implementation Communication (e.g. Curriculum, Standards-Based Grading Procedures, Back to School, etc.).

Key Messages Key Messages are a critical component of the Ministry’s communication. These messages will guide all communication of the Ministry to ensure consistency and alignment. Communication at any department, district, internal or external should never find itself in conflict with the following messages. This will support the Ministry to ensure all communication is aligned and contributing meaningfully toward its strategic goals.


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KEY MESSAGE INITIATIVE/PROGRAMME DRIVING THE MESSAGE

PROVISION OF QUALIFIED, PRODUCTIVE & COMPETITIVE HUMAN RESOURCE NECESSARY TO TRANSFORM BOTSWANA FROM A RESOURCE BASED ECONOMY TO A KNOWLEDGE BASED ONE.

• INCREASE ACCESS & EQUITY IN EDUCATION & TRAINING.

• SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE ESTABLISHED. • CONVERSION OF BOCODOL INTO OPEN

UNIVERSITY. • ESTABLISHMENT OF TEACHING COUNCIL.

PROVISION OF EFFICIENT, QUALITY & RELEVANT EDUCATION & TRAINING ACCESSIBLE TO ALL, (EFA).

• ESTABLISHMENT OF QUALITY STANDARDS & INDICATORS ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION OF QUALITY FRAMEWORK OF MINISTRY.

• ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL SUPPORT SERVICES.

• FAST-TRACKING ASSESMENT OF LEARNERS TO IDENTIFY THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS.

• AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. • LEARNER RETENTION INTERVENTIONS. • STANDARD ONE ORIENTATION. • OUT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & TRAINING.

COMMITMENT TO CULTURE OF CONTINOUS LEARNING & QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE.

• INTRODUCTION OF SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE.

• ESTABLISHMENT OF BOTSWANA NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY.

• MONITORING DELIVERY OF EDUCATION THROUGH THE INSPECTORATE UNIT.

• TOP- ACHIEVERS SCHOLARSHIPS. • ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARDS.

TURNINNG BOTSWANA INTO AN EDUCATIONAL HUB.

• EDUCATION HUB. • STUDY IN BOTSWANA PROGRAMME.

MOULDING LEARNERS INTO RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.

• TALKBACK. • COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT EXERCISISES. • EDUCATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL

SUSTAINABILITY.

EQUALLY PROMOTING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT & ACADEMIC LEARNING.

• CONVERSION OF BRIGADES INTO TECHNICAL COLLEGES.

• VOCATIONAL & TECHNICAL STUDENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN MAITENANCE OF GOVT. FLEET.

• RETOOLING TECHNICAL GRADUATES TO BECOME LECTURES.

• PARTNERSHIP WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BOTSWANA.

• SKILLS DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING.

IMPROVING BOTSWANA’S LITERACY & NUMERACY RATE.

• OUT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & TRAINING. • ADULT BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME.

BRINGING THE MINISTRY CLOSER TO AND IN CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE.

• DECENTRALISATION. • TAKING MINISTRY TO THE PEOPLE TOURS. • EXHIBITIONS AT CONSUMER FAIR. • EDUCATION THERISANYO. • EDUCATION PITSOS


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Communication Matrix The following Communication Matrix provides a framework for Public Relations Office to determine the Ministry’s logical communication goals and illustrates who communicates What, To whom, When, How, Why, and who is Responsible. It helps to clarify communication roles and responsibilities in cross-functional departmental objectives and processes of the Ministry.


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Stakeholder Group

Sub Groups Key Requirements To Whom When How Why Responsible

1. Internal

MoESD Departments

Policy, Training, Programs implementation

Directors, Heads of Departments

According to need

Savingram, Directives, Workshop, Retreat, Email, Meeting, Newsletter

Information sharing

MoESD relevant departments

Teachers

Conditions of service Teachers Unions As occurs

Savingram, Directives, Workshop, Retreat, Media, Advertisement

Teachers’ welfare


Training development Teachers As occurs Workshop, Retreat, Training of trainers



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Stakeholder Group

Sub Groups Key Requirements To Whom When How Why Responsible

2. Government

OP

Minister’s Itinerary OP Fortnightly Savingram Monitor program implementation

PRO

Policy Formulation MoESD As needed Cabinet Directives

Monitor program execution OP

OP As needed Cabinet Memorandum Seek policy direction

MoESD PS

Public Service Reforms MoESD Secretary, Reforms

As needed Savingram, Meeting, Workshop

Improve service delivery

OP Reforms Coordinator

AG Chambers

Legal Process Attorney General As needed Savingram, Meeting Seek legal advice

MoESD

DPSM HR policy, monitoring and evaluation

MoESD Corporate Services DPS

As required Savingram, Meeting Improve service delivery

DPSM

NSO Excellence Strategy NSO Coordinator Quarterly HE’s Brief Meeting

Monitor program implementation

PRO

BGCIS Minister’s Itinerary BGCIS Coordinator

Weekly Email Information sharing

PRO

Parliament Parliamentary Briefs, Question Responses,

Members of Parliament

As needed Savingram, Presentation, Workshop

Information sharing

PRO

MFDP Budget appropriation PS, MFDP Annual Savingram, Meeting Resource requirements

MoESD Finance Officer

MLG Primary schools infrastructure;

feeding program; non-teaching staff salaries

MLG As needed Savingram, Meeting, Email

Education support

DBE

MLH Land requirements MLH As needed Savingram, Meeting Land requirements

DTS

MIST Building infrastructure DBES As needed Savingram, Meeting

DTS

MFAIC Student Counseling Botswana Embassies

According to need

Savingram, Email, Fax, Telephone

Students welfare Education Attaché


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Stakeholder Group Sub Group

Key Requirements What To Whom When How Why Responsible

3. Parastals / Semi Autonomous Institutions

BEC

Policy issues BEC

According to need

Letter, Email, Information sharing

MoESD PS

Examination assessment issues; BEC According to need

Letter, Email, Meeting, Fax, telephone

Facilitate comparison of student performance

DCDE

Curriculum design and development BEC

According to need

Letter, Email, Meeting Fax, telephone

Standardize curriculum

DCDE

BOCODOL

Policy Issues BOCODOL According to need

Letter, Email, Information sharing

MoESD PS

Accessibility to learning BOCODOL

Annual Letter, Email, Meeting Fax, telephone

Improve access to learning

DTEF

HRDAC (BoTA, TEC, MPU)

Policy issues CEO, HRDAC According to need

Letter, Email, Meeting Information sharing

MoESD PS

UB Policy input Vice Chancellor Letter, Meeting, Email,

telephone Define expectations

MoESD

General Information Vice Chancellor As occurs Meeting Information sharing

MoESD

BEH Pursuit of center of excellence in education

Foreign students As occurs Website, Meeting, Investor Forums

Create education export earnings

BEH Coordinator

NGOs Establish partnerships NGOs’ CEOs As occurs Letter, Meeting Information sharing



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Stakeholder

Group Sub Group Key Requirements

What To Whom When How Why Responsible

4. Customers

Students / Learners Information /students requirements

Students As occurs Letter, SMS, Media

Information sharing / Feedback

DBE

Parents General information / students performance Parents As occurs

Media, Pitso, Kgotla, Newsletter

Information sharing


General Public Achievement, Feedback Public As occurs Media, Pitso, Kgotla, Newsletter

Information sharing


5. Strategic Partners

Private Sector Education initiatives Private sector businesses According to need Meeting, Media, Stakeholder involvement in education

DPS Basic Education

Academic Institutions Partnerships, Research collaboration

Relevant institutions According to need Letter, Email, Audio / Video Conferencing

Information sharing, Benchmark


UNESCO, UNDP, SADC Capacity Building UNESCO According to need

Letter, Workshop, Email, Meeting

Improve productivity DTD

Unions Members welfare Union Leaders According to need Letter, Email, Meeting

Improve staff welfare


NGO’s Partnerships NGOs’ CEOs According to need Letter, Meeting, Information sharing


6. Service Providers

Mobile Companies Communication services Mobile Companies According to need Letters, Email, Telephone

Improve communication

Corporate Services

MoESD requirements Books, Study material Printing / Publishing companies

According to need Letter, Email, Telephone

School requirements Procurement

Stationery Suppliers Stationery Stationery suppliers According to need Letter, Telephone

Supplies Procurement

7. Media

Public information dissemination

According to need Press Release, , Media Briefing, Meeting, Email.

Press Release, Telephone, Questionnaire

Information dissemination

PRO


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Strategy Implementation Plan


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Corporate Communication Office

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development has employed an office of Public Relations to drive its communication efforts and ensure the image of the Ministry is looked after. The primary role of this office is to shape public opinion through managing the flow of information between the Ministry and the Public and other key stakeholders. Essentially, the Public Relations Office looks after the reputation of the Ministry to ensure the perceptions existing within the public arena are in consonance with the reality and desired image of the Ministry.

While public perception is extremely important for the Ministry, the communication requirements that shape public perception are much more broad than the narrow scope of Public Relations. The Ministry must ensure the understanding and perceptions of its internal stakeholders are also aligned with the realities of the Ministry through effective internal strategic information management and communication. The office must also take on an advertising and marketing role for the Ministry that effectively promotes the programmes and initiatives of the Ministry.

It is recommended that the Ministry broaden the scope of the existing PR Office to a Corporate Communications Office. This office would be responsible for, among others, the following disciplines

• Institutional Communication • Internal Communication • Public Affairs • Issue Communication • Crisis Communication • Advertising and Marketing • Graphic Design • Website Management • Community Relations • Brand Management

To facilitate the expanded scope and improved effectiveness of the office, the Corporate Communications Office should be elevated within the Ministry’s structure to report directly to the Permanent Secretary with office leadership at a commensurate level.


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Role of Regional Communication Representatives

The decentralized nature of the Ministry’s functions requires a decentralized communication system to the regional level. It considers similar structure as Parliament and MLG where there are dedicated PR Officers in the regions. There should be a portal to facilitate sharing of information across all regions.

The following diagram illustrates how the Ministry’s communication functions can be structured on a decentralized basis by establishing a regional organizational structure of PR Officers to achieve decentralized communication function to all education regions with clearly defined roles for optimum support.

MoESD&PRO&

PR#Officer#

PR#Officer#

Decentralized,communica0ons,system,

Regional,Public,Rela0ons,Officers,are,accountable,to,PRO,with,respect,to,MoESD,communica0on,func0ons,

PR#Officer#

PR#Officer#


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All communication from the Ministry to the regions should be channeled through the PRO directly to the regional PR Officers. Such communication from the PRO does not need to pass through a layer of other intermediaries before it reaches the regional PR Officers for onward transmission to various regional destinations under the jurisdiction of the particular PR Officers.

This approach allows for effective communication and decision-making at regional level as a means of improving the quality and timeliness of information flow. In addition, through delegation, the responsibility for communicating information throughout the region is transferred to the regional PR Officers, wholly controlled by PRO and accountable with respect to all communication functions of the Ministry.

PRO$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$

PR$Officer$


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Communication Policy considerations A communications policy guides how, where, when and by whom communication issues should be handled and covers both internal and external audiences. Because many communication modalities increasingly require the use of various technologies, the Communication Policy must be developed hand in hand with the Ministry's Information Technology Policy. Because many of the issues will overlap between the two, it is recommended that they are developed by representatives of both DIT and the PRO. Due to the dynamic nature of technology and the speed of change involved, the policy should be reviewed and updated regularly. Therefore, a large component of the Communication Policy is to provide the staff guidance in the use of the Ministry’s information technology and communications facilities sensibly, professionally, lawfully, and consistently in performing their duties.

It is recommended that communications policies be developed for, and not be limited to, the following areas:

Email Develop appropriate policy including disclaimer notice within all outgoing emails to prevent inadvertently tarnishing the public image of the Ministry in the event that an email's content misrepresents the Ministry’s position.

Internet and Intranet Develop a policy to provide for rules governing access to network resources, wireless hotspots, and certain websites that may be blocked for various reasons. Systems Security The Ministry’s systems and equipment must not be used in any way that may cause damage. This aspect may include policy on user training with regards to virus prevention and the appropriate use of flash media.

Remote Network Access Policy and the procedures that apply to use of the Ministry’s systems whenever accessing the Ministry’s systems while away from the office premises through VPN connections.

PERSONAL BLOGS AND WEBSITES Policy concerning the nature of content published on the internet, even if created, updated, modified or contributed to outside of working hours or when using personal IT systems. Mobile Devices Develop a policy that guides the appropriate and secure use of mobile devices for official Ministry communications.

SOCIAL MEDIA The policy should provide for effective and responsible use of the Ministry’s social media applications (Facebook, twitter, etc.). Consideration should also include account management, staffing, and uniformity of communication across diverse platforms.


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DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY Policy on privacy of individuals as governed by the relevant Acts in the Laws of Botswana

COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY Policy concerning the necessity to comply


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Crisis Communication Plan

Introduction Crisis communications involves the organization's entire approach to responding to "disaster scenarios." A crisis communications plan must be both precise and adaptable for worst-case scenarios. It entails the organization’s communication with stakeholders / customers, employees, and all the people who matter most to the business. During a crisis or emergency, the Ministry must be able to respond promptly, accurately and confidently, and immediately thereafter. Many different audiences must be reached with information specific to their interests and needs. The public perceptions of handling of the incident can positively or negatively impact the image of the Ministry. Crisis communication is designed to protect and defend the Ministry when facing a public challenge to its reputation. The most challenging part of crisis communication management is reacting promptly -- with the right response. For the purpose of this Crisis Communication Plan, Crisis can be defined as a disruption or breakdown in the Ministry’s normal or usual pattern of functioning, leading to a situation that cannot be resolved by the customary problem-solving resource, and thereby contributing towards a potential for a negative perception of the Ministry by the general public. These circumstances may be due to, among other things:

• Social unrest and violent conflict such as industrial action

• Media campaign that maligns the reputation and credibility of the Ministry

• A situation that generates negative media interest and public scrutiny

• Any situation that threatens the integrity or reputation of the Ministry, usually brought on by adverse or negative media attention. The situations can be any kind of controversy that could be attributed to the Ministry and to which the Ministry failed to react in an appropriate manner

• A critical moment when a risk, an issue, or emergency is deemed to have escalated beyond routine control of the Ministry

• An event that significantly disrupts normal operations, has caused or is likely to cause severe distress or have severe consequences for individual staff, and requires out of ordinary measures to restore order and normality, thus demanding immediate action from senior management

Crisis Communication Team The cornerstone of successful crisis communications plan is a well-defined crisis communications team (CCT), which is integrated into the Ministry’s crisis management team (CMT) responsible for overseeing the overall management of the crisis and providing the basis for subsequent recovery. The role of the CCT is to create and execute the overall crisis communication plan for the Ministry.


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The CCT is integrated within the CMT and it focuses on the communications aspect of crisis management -- managing the flow of information within the CMT and to key stakeholder groups in times of a crisis. The designated spokesperson, from the PRO, will be primarily responsible for conveying the Ministry’s response to the crisis and communicating with the media. The CCT will include, at a minimum:

• Permanent Secretary • The head of public relations • Managers / Directors of selected Ministry departments • Ministry’s HR Director

Terms of Reference for the Crisis Communication Team

1) Identify possible crises and response strategies for situations that may confront the Ministry in the future

2) Develop general crisis management procedures and guidelines to be adopted by the Ministry for specific contexts and provide training support teams as needed

3) Cooperate with the appointed support structures that directly manage crisis situations

4) Review ways in which the Ministry can improve its response to crisis situations.

Interacting with the Media The spokesperson will be the primary contact for all media inquiries and should run all press conferences and give most interviews during a crisis. He / she should be experienced in working with both print and broadcast media. It is important, at the onset of the crisis, that the spokesperson and support stuff spend some time rehearsing prepared statements and answers to possible "tough" questions that may be asked by reporters. If possible, similar rehearsals should be conducted prior to each media interview, briefing or news conference. It is also important to anticipate and practice new questions as the story evolves

The designated spokesperson must:

• Ensure that responses to media questions are sufficiently detailed

• Ensure the media is not mislead

• Discuss only things he / she has direct responsibility for or has personal knowledge about

• Avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical terms

• Keep remarks brief and concise

• Assume every thing will be printed and / or broadcast

• Avoid speculation

Audiences There are many potential audiences that will want information during and following an incident and each has its own needs for information. Effective communication with key


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constituents will help quell rumors, maintain morale, and ensure continued orderly operations of the Ministry.

Key Messages During and following an incident, each audience will seek information that is specific to them. After identifying the audiences and the spokesperson assigned to communicate with each audience, the next step is to script messages. Writing messages during an incident can be challenging due to the pressure caused by the crisis situation. Therefore, it is best to script message templates in advance. Pre-scripted messages should be prepared using information developed during the risk assessment. The risk assessment process should identify scenarios that would require communications with stakeholders.

Crisis Communication Process Effective communication prior to, during and after a crisis incident can drastically alter the outcome of the incident. The following flowchart illustrates the communication process that should lead to the implementation of the crisis response plan.

Crisis%Iden*fied%/%Verifica*on%

Crisis%No*fica*on%

Internal%Staff%

Crisis%Response%

Team%Leader%

External%Stakeholders%

Mobilize%CRT%

Evaluate%Nature%of%Crisis%

Communicate%to%Relevant%Authori*es%

Develop%Response%Plan%

Communicate%Response%Plan%to%Permanent%Secretary,%Minister,%

Stakeholders%

Evaluate%Effec*veness%of%Response%Plan%

Adapt%Response%Plan%

PostJCrisis%FollowJup%

Implement%Response%Plan%

Provide%Regular%Media%%UpJdate%

Confirm%Crisis%Resolu*on%and%Close%

PRO%

CRT%leader%

PRO%


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Planning for Crisis Communication

Step Activity

1 Internal Preparations

a. Disseminate an emergency list with phone numbers, cell phones, and e-mail addresses for staff update quarterly or more frequently as needed by staff turnover and contact changes

b. Perform annual communication audit

c. Media Training – Identify and train organization spokespeople who should be familiar with the Ministry’s key messages

d. Update the Crisis Communication Checklist for staff, including crisis procedures, policies regarding media inquiries, communication priorities and best means to reach the crisis management team leader, and ensure that all staff are familiar with the document.

e. Keep contact information for key audiences updated so that they can be easily contacted in a crisis

f. Maintain contact information for police, fire, hospitals, the health department, utilities and paramedics, and ensure staff know how to access the information

g. Identify resources necessary prior to a crisis including extra cell phones, computers, etc., and determine how that equipment would be gathered and who would be responsible for operation

h. At least quarterly, review and practice crisis communications plan


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Step Activity

2 Establish Crisis Communication Team (CCT) with Roles and Responsibilities

Key members of the crisis communication team CCT & Roles and Responsibilities

a. CCT Leader: Convenes and schedules emergency team meetings, oversees both broad and specific team functions, and ensures the required resources are available.

b. Assistant CCT Leader: Assists the crisis team chair with all functions and substitutes for the chair in the chair's absence

c. Human Resources: Responsible HR issues, Ministry staff liaison, and support relative to the incident

d. Senior Management from the department / division in charge of the area that was involved in the situation that has brought about the crisis

e. Other persons with relevant skills for the areas affected by the crisis situation

f. Head of PRO: Contacts the media; prepares statements to disseminate to staff and the community; and maintains ongoing contact with relevant agencies; handles all media requests for information; and develops a notification protocol for the crisis event.

3 Identify and Prepare the Spokesperson

The spokesperson will be the official “voice” of the Ministry should a crisis develop -- the person should be trained accordingly. A back up to the designated spokesperson should also be identified to fill the position in the event that the primary spokesperson is unavailable.

4 Develop processes and protocols

a. Establish the chain of command

b. Determine who needs to be part of the approval process

c. Determine the proper course of action should the crisis appear to be brewing online


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Step Activity

5 Prepare for Media’s Impact on Crisis Communication

If determined necessary, the Ministry will distribute a release to media

a. The release should be posted on the Ministry’s web site and distributed to members.

b. A prepared written statement should guide all interviews.

c. If determined necessary for Media to visit the incident place, access to facilities should be organized and ensure the area into which the media are invited does not have sensitive information such as reports, personnel information or other papers visually available

6 Brainstorm Possible Scenarios & Responses.

a. Develop a “response template” and have responses already outlined, with blanks to be filled in based on the situational details

b. Conduct crisis “drills” to get the team used to mobilizing quickly and working through the process


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49

Crisis Communication Matrix

Activity To Whom Responsibility Communication Channel

1. Crisis Identification / Verification & Notification

Ministry Management Identifier Telephone / Face-to-Face

2. Convenes Communication Team

CCT Members Crisis Communication Team Leader

Telephone / Email

4. Evaluate nature of crisis with crisis response team

CCT

5. Communicate the crisis situation

Relevant Stakeholders PRO Email / Telephone

6. Develop crisis response plan

Crisis Response Team

7. Communicate crisis response plan

Permanent Secretary / Minister, Stakeholders

CCT Leader / PRO Face-to-Face, Email, Telephone, Meeting

8. Execute crisis response plan

Crisis Response Team

Face-to-Face, Email, Telephone, Meeting

9. Provide regular up-dates Media, Stakeholders PRO Press Release

10. Post-Crisis Follow-up CCT PRO Telephone, Meeting, Email

• Debrief and Evaluation

• Information Management

• Follow-up with stakeholders

Debriefing should be well documented, and lessons learnt should feed into a review of crisis response planning Documents related to the incident must be filed systematically and stored in a central location

Make provisions for the extension of gratitude to all relevant actors for their efforts in helping to resolve incidents


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50 50

Appendix A – Recommendations The Ministry of Education And Skills Development Communication Strategy is a comprehensive plan to improve communication across the internal and external environments within which the Ministry operates. It has been developed to address both current challenges and future requirements of the government and is intended to fully support the broader communication objectives of the Government of Botswana. The MOESD Public Relations Office is the custodian of the Communication Strategy and most requirements for improved communication are included within the strategy. However, in addition to the strategy the following recommendations have been provided to position the Ministry optimally for successful implementation.

• Transform the Public Relations office to an expanded Corporate Communications Office reporting directly to the Permanent Secretary.

• Partner with a private company for PR/Marketing/branding services. The scope of this partnership will be refined once the Corporate Communications Office is fully established, resourced and respective competencies developed.

• Reset media relations (media relations strategy geared towards transforming current perceptions)

• Communications and Media training for MOESD/Ministry executives (how to handle media)

• Full time monitoring of Ministry brand perceptions and coverage with monthly recommendations

• Educating Ministry on brand iconography (workshop) – within brand roll-out plan

• Educating Ministry on brand manual and use of logo etc. – within brand roll-out plan