30 Oct 2016

The acting vice chancellor at Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) who has been the acting principal of the Botswana College of Agriculture is also a senior lecturer, Assistant Minister of Agricultural Development and Food Security, Mr Kgotla Autlwetse has said.

Responding to a question in Parliament from Gaborone North MP, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa, Mr Autlwetse said “since he was the acting principal under the old act, I found it appropriate to appoint him to act and lead under the new act.”

Initially, he said the acting appointment was for six months from February 1, 2016 to July 31, 2016 “which I extended from August 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017.”

“The position of the vice chancellor has been approved by the interim governing council. The proposed remuneration package has been finalised and once approved by Cabinet, it will be advertised,” he said.

In the whole BUAN establishment, Mr Autlwetse said there were six professors and 19 associate professors, which were higher than the senior lecturer post.

Two professors and two associate professors, he said were in senior management/head of department 'while all are in academic leadership by virtue of seniority.'

Mr Nkaigwa wanted to know if the minister was aware that the current acting vice chancellor at the BUAN is a senior lecturer, which was a relatively low ranking position within a university system and who was not qualified to lead the university.

Gaborone North MP also wanted to know when the situation was going to be rectified and an appropriate person hired to lead the transformation, how many Professors and Associate Professors (positions which are higher than senior lecturer) were there at BUAN and how many of them were in senior management and leadership.ENDS