21 Mar 2018

Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology says he is aware that students of DDT College of Medicine were complaining that the institution was threatening them whenever they raised concerns about their learning environment.

Responding to a parliamentary question on Tuesday, Minister Alfred Madigele said although investigations conducted by Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) could not confirm the allegations of threats, there were five students who were expelled and 15 who were suspended but later reinstated.

He said the situation at the college was exacerbated by the lack of a functional Student Representative Council (SRC), which was the voice of learners and a disciplinary policy that should guide on how disciplinary proceedings and processes should be conducted.

He said BQA had instructed the college to conduct SRC elections within 20 days upon receipt of the investigation report.

He said the college had also been instructed to develop a disciplinary policy with input from the learners, adding that BQA would continue to monitor the college to ensure that the complaints were fully addressed.

He further said the ministry was aware that some lecturers were part of the management team and that was not an anomaly.

He said lecturers who were in management and were involved in disciplinary hearings needed to be objective, professional and be guided by the laid down procedures in the disciplinary policy.

He said BQA would put the college under strict monitoring to ensure that all the complaints that were confirmed to be true were addressed, adding BQA had also instructed the college to reinstate the five students who were expelled because they were arbitrary expelled without a disciplinary policy that could provide guidance.

MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskings Nkaigwa had asked if the minister was aware that DDT College of Medicine continued to threaten students who were demanding better learning with expulsions and suspensions.

The legislators also wanted the minister to state what was being done to protect students from such abuse.

Mr Nkaigwa asked the minister if he was aware that lecturers were both players and referees as they offered both lecturing and management services to the institution including conducting disciplinary hearings.

Again, he asked the minister to say what was being done to correct the anomaly and to reinstate the students who were unfairly expelled. ENDS