03 Sep 2017

The Minister of Basic Education Dr Unity Dow has applauded Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) for training teachers in Information Communications Technology (ICT).

Speaking at the ICT open day at Mokokwana/ Mosweu villages in Lerala/ Maunatlala constituency, Dr Dow said the programme facilitated by BIUST was a welcome development and bodes well for government’s desire to bridge the ICT gap by imparting teachers with the necessary skills in ICT to share with students.

Dr Dow said that government cannot work alone and have to partner with other stakeholders hence BIUST came on board. She said while some schools had computers, it becomes a challenge if the facilitator was limited in the skill.

“BIUST came at the time when they were needed. Teachers who were not able to use computers are now able to use them,” she said.

She urged BIUST to continue with the programme because some schools desired to go through the same training.

She said the programme does not only help teachers but will also bring change in the school’s community and better the learning processes by bridging the digital divide.

She said there was no doubt that technology was expensive but there was a need to invest in it because of its benefits and results. She pleaded with BIUST to lure other parastatals to come on board.  

The Vice Chancellor of BIUST Professor Otlogetswe Totolo said in partnership with students, teachers, lecturers, the industries represented in university’s academic programmes, the community and the nation, BIUST was working tirelessly to achieve that ideal where the nation could be counted among those that have been transformed by the power of technology, science and engineering.

Professor Totolo said together with the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research Science and Technology, BIUST was at the forefront of achieving the theme of the event: Bridging the digital device; enhancing teaching and learning through ICT. He said the theme resonated well with the BIUST pillar of research and innovation.

Professor Totolo said the department of computer sciences was one of the largest departments at BIUST,  it has one of the largest numbers of students, largest staff  members and is actively involved in the workings of the university through, among others, conceptualizing, designing and applying the BIUST website and departmental websites.

He said through its extension and support services, BIUST annually takes Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) programmess to near and far-flung places in Botswana. “This I intended to showcase to our children, their parents, communities and the nation that STEM is living, do-able intellectual pursuit and that we experience it every day in our lives”, he said.

He said thus far close to 50 000 basic education learners and hundreds of teachers from all walks of life have been exposed to this programme. He said BIUST conducted a pilot project with teachers in the central district targeting 326 teachers who were taught ICT skills and have since graduated.

He said they were now in receipt of positive feedback on the efficacy of this ICT programme and its transformative effect on the target group. “With feedback we are therefore energized to do more of this programme and to up skill more of the educators from other parts of the country,” he said.

Ms Mmamosetsana Maposa who is the acting director ICT and media services in the ministry of basic education said her ministry was providing computers in the schools and the schools that have not received the computers will receive them.

She said her ministry had a desire to produce a learner who can fit anywhere in the system and technology has proved that it could do just that. Ends