23 Sep 2018

President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi says there is need for Botswana universities to start partnership with the Florida State University (FSU).

Speaking during a working visit to the FSU recently, President Masisi said as a former student of FSU he would like to explore potential areas where both public and private universities in Botswana could benefit from the highly ranked research university.

To the students  at FSU, Mr Masisi  encouraged them to utilise the available resources at FSU to acquire skills necessary to survive in the competitive job market.

Mr Masisi also invited the media and the FSU students to visit Botswana and assured them that it was a friendly, safe country  and has one of the best tourism in the region.

The FSU President John Thrasher invited Batswana to apply to study at the university saying it was the 26th best university in America. He indicated that last the university received a total of 51 000 applications.

During his interaction with the students, Mr Masisi met a Motswana student at FSU, Mr Moletedi Ntseme who is studying for Masters of Fine Arts in Theater .

Mr Ntseme informed the President that he was looking for scholarship because as a master’s student the university was only sponsoring him for one year.

In response Mr Masisi said a developing country, government scholarships were based on the needs of the economy.

Mr Masisi also said there was an  on-going debate on mother tongue instruction at schools but since the country was a small developing economy Setswana and English were used.

He said the mother tongue medium of instruction would be implemented when the economy improved adding that currently the biggest barrier to education was poverty, which he said was multi-dimensional.

Asked what was Botswana’s top priority at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Mr Masisi said issues of environment and peace were imperative.

He said it was important for leaders to always meet because relationships struck when people converse and UNGA provides Botswana with an opportunity to put her voice across and make new friendships.

Mr Masisi said UNGA was a brilliant concept that must always be rejuvenated and kept going as countries were bound together by surviving on the earth.

The President also had close door meetings with Provost Sally McRorie and Assistant Provost Joseph O’Shea regarding FSU student successes, achievements and goals at the FSU.

He also had opportunity to meet the Dean of the College of Education, Dr Kent Noel and his leadership team. Dr Kent studied with President Masisi while he was at FSU. ENDS