22 Mar 2018

MP for Gaborone Central, Dr Phenyo Butale has acknowledged government’s effort in ensuring that tertiary education becomes more effective.

He said he was happy about efforts by the ministry to ensure that the pride of Batswana being the University of Botswana (UB) remained the pride of the nation.

Dr Butale further noted that UB needed utmost attention and support for employees to ensure that they were not disillusioned by government’s failure to adjust their salaries as this might affect their performance.

He said tertiary education should remain a priority to government and that reduction of students’ allowances was a cause for concern because the allowance was far too low for their survival.

The Gaborone Central legislator called for an audit of some institutions, which he said were not offering accredited courses whereas students cannot claim for their lost time and money. MP for Sefhare-Ramokgonami, Ms Dorcas Makgato said he was impressed by BOCODOL’s flexibility and geographical spread and that it was more cost effective as it covered many people.

Ms Makgato said she was also happy for the BUAN’ mentoring programmes and that industry skills centre that offers on-job training for professionals was also a welcome development.
 

Specially elected MP, Mr Mephato Reatile suggested that government should make an agreement with companies to provide students with stipend while parents covered for tuition in order to enable parents to play a role in education financing.

MP for Tlokweng, Mr Kenneth Segokgo advocated for increase of students’ allowance.

“I advocate that students’ allowances be increased because a lot of it goes towards rented houses and transport.

Also, not having enough money leads to co-habiting because they want to minimize the costs,” he said. Ends