18 Feb 2019

Botswana Open University (BOU) chancellor has decried perceptions that open and distance learning wa devoid of efficacious systems and structures to produce graduates who could add sufficient value to the socio-economic development of Botswana.

Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, who was officially launching the BOU logo in Gaborone recently, said the perceptions were not only negative, but also counter-productive and misleading.

He said the logo would enable the university to correct misconceptions and assure stakeholders that BOU would contribute substantially to increased national tertiary enrolment rate, an important indicator of participation in higher education which was currently low for upper middle income status.

“The logo must clearly show what our contribution is and will be towards the knowledge-based economy Botswana seeks to build by 2036,” he said. 

Dr Kedilkilwe expressed the hope that the logo would enable Batswana to appreciate the distinction of the university as well as the distinctiveness of its products and services.

  He said the emblem was reflective of the value proposition espoused in the National Tertiary Education Policy.

The policy, he said, envisioned an institution that would be the “conscience of the nation” and that would give the people of Botswana, especially out of school youths and adults, access to university education through open and distance learning.

Dr Kedikilwe said the policy envisaged an university that would not be an “intellectual enclave” but rather a critical part of the education and training system bringing together persons from diverse backgrounds in pursuit of liberty, light and learning.

He explained that BOU was borne out of the transformation of the Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning which had been serving the education and training needs of Batswana through open distance learning since 2000.

The old logo therefore had to be set aside upon the advent of BOU, he said.

Dr Kedikilwe said the new logo was representative of the identity of the new university which was both necessary and a welcomed development.

He pointed out that the logo would go a long way in pointing to the need for the university to embrace and cultivate a culture reminiscent of the higher education institution’s ethos and practice.

Meanwhile Dr Kedikilwe said there was no doubt that BOU came into the higher education space at a time when there was heightened competition between universities for market share and funding.

He therefore stated that BOU had to hit the ground running and expeditiously claim its space. 

“The logo adopted represent and reflect that BOU is an institution that is daring, bold, directional, confident and ready to embrace the future with all its diverse challenges” said Dr Kedikilwe

   Its aim , he said,  was to democratise education and promote life- long learning through flexible delivery systems and affordable programmes and services.

For his part, BOU vice chancellor, Dr Daniel Tau said the presentation of the BOU logo, was one way of revealing the programmes and services that would follow.

Dr Tau said BOU was determined to diversify the portfolio of programmes and services as well as to embark on value adding community engagement activities.

He said though new, the university had already put in place founding systems and academic structures to facilitate its core business being teaching, learning and research.

The vice chancellor said four schools supported by 12 departments and specialised centres were functional and were offering between over 25 short courses.

Dr Tau said BOU had 4 000 active students and was planning to admit another 3000 in July this year.

He also mentioned that most of BOU service beneficiaries were Batswana employed in the public and private sectors as well as civil society organisations adding that the institution served as the main vehicle of continuing education and lifelong learning.

He called for Batswana’s cooperation in working towards the transformation of Botswana into a knowledge-based society that the country longed for. ENDS