31 Mar 2016

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Fidelis Molao, says his ministry is informed by the Presidential Directive Cab 5(B) of 2010 to outsource the Tertiary Education Students sponsorship.

Responding to a question in Parliament, Mr Molao said the directive directed that the Education Support Fund to be managed along banking lines for the extension of study loans to those seeking to proceed to tertiary education be established.

It further directed that the ministry in consultation with the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning should work out modalities for setting up and operation of the fund.

It also directed that the private sector and other non-banking financial institutions should be considered for a role in managing the Education Support Fund, he said.

Mr Molao said BotswanaPost was identified for consideration as a potential service provider as stated in cabinet minutes of February 2013.  

This, he said, led to the ministry seeking authority from PPADB for direct appointment of BotswanaPost and due tendering process was followed.

“In line with the PPADB Act, a letter of invitation was issued to Poso, and after due process was done to evaluate poso, it was found to be inadequate and was therefore not awarded the tender.Since the whole process involved direct appointment, no other company participated,” he said.

MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa had asked the assistant minister if he was aware of the outsourcing of DTEF and how and where the tender was floated, which company won it and to state companies that participated in the tender process.  BOPA