13 Mar 2017

Member of Parliament for Selebi Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse has asked government to establish a campus of Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) in Selebi Phikwe as a way of boosting the economy of the town.

The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) legislator tabled a motion in Parliament on Friday requesting government to consider relocating the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering of the College of Engineering and Technology at BIUST from Palapye to Selebi Phikwe.

He said universities around the world have played an important role in bringing economic activities to towns, therefore establishing a BIUST Selebi Phikwe campus would breathe life into the economy of the town.

“The mainstay of Selebi Phikwe was BCL Mine and its closure has considerably harmed economic lives of people in the town. Establishing a BIUST campus will be one of the solutions to ensure that the town does not become a ghost town. There will be students and lecturers living in the town,” the legislator explained.

Mr Keorapetse said the campus can use the existing facilities at BCL Mine such as the mine’s shafts for practical activities.

However, the Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology Dr Alfred Madigele opposed the motion, stating that relocating the BIUST department of mining to Selebi Phikwe would cause logistical and operational difficulties for students and staff.

He explained that BIUST departments share common administrative and logistical facilities, and first year and second year Mining and Geological Engineering learners take some common courses with students in other departments.

He further said laboratories and library facilities are located in Palapye, therefore the idea of establishing a campus in Selebi Phikwe would be tantamount to duplicating resources since new classrooms, laboratories and library would have to be constructed.

However, Gaborone/Bonnington South MP, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe supported the motion, explaining that some successful universities around the world have multiple campuses.

“Selebi Phikwe has facilities that are not utilised, which we believe will come at little or no cost to BIUST. The process of building universities is a capital intensive one, but in this case there is an opportunity for BIUST to spread to a venue that already has facilities,” the MP said explained. The motion was adopted the same day.ENDS