17 Jul 2018

All tuition invoices submitted by the University of Botswana have been honoured and the last tuition invoice amounting to P956 334 was paid out on the 14th  June 2018.

The Assistant Minister of Tertiary, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Fidelis Molao said he was  not aware of any assurance made by his predecessor, Mr Alfred Madigele that UB would be given adequate provision to cover the 10 per cent inflationary adjustment that was approved by council.

Mr Molao further said he was also not aware  that the University of Botswana Council had written to the Ministry in November 2017 requesting  government to assist with the payment of the three per cent and four per cent salary adjustment as the institution did not have funds to cater for the adjustments.

Mr Molao noted that the request was premised on the fact that the government had made adjustments to public officers’ salaries in 2016 and 2017.

He noted that the government was only able to provide for a salary adjustment of three per cent in the 2018/2019 budget effective  April  12018 and the adjustment has been effected.

“The University has since asked that they be assisted with the funding of the three per cent salary adjustment for their staff amounting to P47 429 225 given that public officers were given salary adjustment of three per cent as per DPSM Directive NO 1 of 2018 and the budget is still be reviewed to determine whether it would be possible to assist them”, he added.

Mr Molao further said there had not been any wholesale decision not to renew contracts for members of staff aged 65 and above and decisions on whether or not to offer a post retirement contract or renew such was undertaken in line with provisions of UB General Conditions of Service, Section 3.10 which stipulated that when one has reached 65 years, he or she may be given post retirement contract as long as their services were still needed by the University.

He said there had been 21 applications for post-retirement applications, seven were granted while 14 were not successful.

Minister Molao was responding to a question in Parliament asked by Gaborone Central MP, Dr Phenyo Butale  who had asked the minister to state whether all outstanding invoices for tuition fees had been settled.

He also wanted to know whether the assurances made during the budget presentation by his predecessor Dr Alfred Madigele that the UB would be given adequate provision to cover the 10 per cent inflationary adjustments as approved by Council have been honoured  or not, and if UB was under a threat of existence due to under funding. ENDS