12 Jun 2017

Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) deputy chief executive officer, Mr Ezekiel Thekiso has advised safari tour guides to be patient as the plan to introduce new guide licensing system will soon be finalised.

Mr Thekiso was responding to comments from guides who wanted to know the status of the issue which they said had dragged for long without any solution.

The new system requires old guides to be re-assessed as it does not recognise the old guides’ knowledge and skills.

The old guides requested intervention on the matter as they feared that some might lose their jobs.

The system, which is implemented by BQA encourages all guides and aspiring ones to enroll for nature guiding courses at a BQA-accredited institutions that offers industry based qualifications and are registered in the National Qualification Framework (NQF).

Mr Thekiso explained that they were on top of the matter and about to close the chapter, as they had engaged Botswana Guides Association (BOGA) and other key stakeholders. He assured them that they would be given a report on how the issue had been resolved in two weeks time.

Furthermore, he noted that they have a programme dubbed ‘Recognition Prior Learning’ (RPL), which aims to assess qualifications so that people could be accredited as they had realised that a lot of skill was acquired through work.

He said he believed the issue would be resolved amicably as the authority wanted to see guides happy, adding that the government wanted to recognise their skills as they benefited the country’s economy.

Mr Thekiso also called on the public to join hands with the authority and monitor quality education and training in the country.

He said they should report any illegal education and training operators so that the authority could act accordingly.

The authority, he said, has an investigation unit which investigates reported incidents.

He added that if there was evidence of non-compliance, they shut down institutions involved.

BOGA vice chairperson, Mr Sammy Mokgadi confirmed that they had discussed the matter with BQA and said he believed that it would finally be resolved.

He added that the issue took long to be addressed.

 Some guides had asked BQA to speed up the process.

They also expressed the wish to be consulted before the final decision was made.

An official from BQA, Dr Phetolo Malau-Modiega urged stakeholders to support the organisation in its new mandate.

She said they should assist to monitor compliance to the new system, adding that the system aimed to improve quality education and training gaps found in the old system.

She revealed that the system emphasised on registration and accreditation of all tertiary institutions, and to accredit all learning programmes before learner enrollment.

Dr Malau-Modiega stressed that the new system intended to protect learners and to encourage them to check first before enrolling for a course at any tertiary institution. ENDS