24 Feb 2015

The University of Botswana (UB) envisages being the leading academic centre of excellence in Africa and the world hence improving on all facilities that were built by Batswana though individual contributions, says Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Prof. Otlogetswe Totolo.

Addressing leaders of political parties, Prof Totolo said UB pride itself with 10 faculties that cover variety of disciplines with an enrolment of over 18 000 students, adding that in 2014 for the first time in the history of the University, 36 Medical Doctors graduated. 

He noted that the graduation of the medical doctors is in line with Botswana’s dream of having a doctor in every clinic at the same time goes well with the national aspirations of Vision 2016 of a Healthy nation. 

He advised political leaders to shift from natural based economy to knowledge based economy.Deputy Vice Chancellor- Academic Affairs, Prof Lydia Nyathi-Saleshando said the division of student affairs strives to improve student experience.  

“We want to create a vibrant campus life so that we produce a student who is holistic in their personal academic development and foster spirit of social responsibility,” she said.

She said the division also foster the spirit of social responsibility as well as to educate, inform and communicate to the student body. Prof Nyathi-Saleshando mentioned three units which are disability support services unit, health and wellness centre and HIV/AIDS coordination office which benefit the students as she believe they are the image of the university. 

The Vice Chancellor said the disability support services unit makes a better learning environment to those who are living with disabled. 

She said the unit provides auto cars, scoters, talking computers and visual enhancement programs. She said the automatic cars and scooters encourage the spirit of independence as the users are able to drive themselves.

She mentioned that the Laurelton Diamonds Botswana donated six authorised chairs and two message chairs to the unit.She said the Division of Student Affairs is geared at improving student’s experience across campus and oversee policy development and implementation.

Prof Nyathi-Saleshando appealed to political party leaders to voice out the concern that book allowance should be increased as the current allowance is not adequate to students and is enough to purchase only two text books. She requested that the book allowance should be increased at least to the level of that of BUIST. 

She explained that book prices are rising at an alarming rate and while Books Botswana is accused of monopoly and UB under the scrutiny by Botswana Competition Authority they have made a ruling that the monopoly is a healthy one because it benefits the students according to how UB operates.

Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central, Mr Phenyo Butale said the issue of funding the university is of paramount importance and said as leaders they have to come up with innovative ways of addressing it. 

Mr Butale said government should continue funding tertiary education and desist from abandoning students after failing some of their modules, adding that this is counter-productive. 

He said there is also no accreditation of professionals from the department of Biological Sciences like nurses after completion of their studies.

BCP representative, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang said that there should be a relationship between BUIST and UB so that un-necessary duplication of efforts is avoided.

He noted that the excellent work that is done by the two universities is always overshadowed by the negative reports from the media. He said short courses on public administration are useful to politicians but said there is no sponsorship for such courses.

Welcoming leaders of Political Parties, Vice Chancellor Prof Thabo Fako said although the university admits students from all over the world, it belongs to all Batswana and that every activity that is done at UB, is open to the whole community.

He said in all that they do at UB they value and cherish the communities contribution in the day to day running of the university and that the management of the university welcomes their council, support, encouragement and their criticism as all are geared towards improving the management and running of the University. ENDS