30 Jan 2018

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Research Science and Technology, Dr Alfred Madigele has formally presented Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe as the founding chancellor of the Botswana Open University (BOU), formerly BOCODOL.

Presenting him at a press briefing last week, Dr Madigele said BOCODOL had transformed from being a college to being a university last month after the Open university bill was passed into Act of Parliament on July 20 last year.

Dr Madigele praised the former vice president as a scholar of note who had enrolled in some of the best universities around the world, as well as the chairperson of the presidential commission on education in 1998, popularly known as the ‘Kedikilwe Commission’.

“It is in this manner that I hope and believe that he will execute his very important role with diligence and the fortitude we know him with”, he said.

Briefing the media, the newly appointed, Botswana Open University Chancellor Dr Kedikilwe said Open and Distance Learning was the most vital approach of learning as it gave an opportunity for everyone to enroll both locally and globally.

“The conversion from college to university will usher in more opportunities mainly at university level and we will continue offering JC and BGCSE courses,“ he said.

Dr Kedikilwe further said the university currently had learners in different countries, regionally and internationally and it would continue enrolling students from those.

He further said BOU‘s mandate ties in well with ideals of poverty eradication, reasonable access to education, social inclusion bringing in stability and dignity for all, citizen empowerment and lifelong learning.

Dr kedikilwe promised that the university would be a significant player in tertiary education provision.

The chancellor is the ceremonial head of the university who presides over ceremonial assemblies and confers awards of the university. He is the ambassador of the university, promoting goodwill and mobilises resources of the university.ENDS