25 Nov 2019

Botswana Open University (BOU) has made significant progress towards integrating technology in its teaching and learning processes.

“I am readily sold to the idea of leveraging technology in every area of performance especially in the advent of the 4th industrial revolution,” Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology Dr Douglas Letsholathebe has said.

Speaking at BOU graduation ceremony recently, Dr Letsholathebe said the revolution was characterised by technological developments which would impact upon  education provisionas well as training and skills development.

The importance of offering technology driven products and services, he said, could not be over emphasised.

“The digital world is here and we have to embrace such developments in our country business processes including delivery of education,” said Dr Letsholathebe. He said the 2017 establishment of BOU through an act Parliament was a result of gradual transformation of the then BOCODOL. Judging by the cumulative enrolments achieved, he said, BOCODOL and now BOU had impacted quite significantly on the lives of Batswana.

He pledged his support and guidance to make BOU a major player in open and distance education in Botswana and beyond. Complimenting BOU class of 2019 for their achievements, Dr Letsholathebe noted that the day marked a culmination of hard work done over the years.

For his part, BOU vice chancellor, Dr Daniel Tau said 1 627 graduands from 20 academic programmes were graduating on the day representing a graduation output increase of 16 per cent over the 2018 figure of 1 368.

Of greater significance was the under-graduate and post-graduate output which by 20 and 34 per cent respectively, said Dr Tau.

“This emergent growth coupled with diversity of programmes, does not only entrench our status as a competent tertiary education provider within the context of obtaining regulatory and legislative frameworks. It also represents a strong indication of our inclination to embrace an orientation reminiscent of the desire to cultivate university culture and practice,” he explained.About the theme, ‘Embracing technology-enhanced open and distance learning’, Dr Tau said it was motivated by Vision 2036 ideals which were consistent with knowledge based society requirements.

He said BOU applications as well as payment of fees could now be done from any place in the world. Dr Tau also said most of the graduands had used technology to receive instruction and had received learning support through e-resources available.

“We are therefore pleased to state that the graduands presented are technology savvy and have significantly metamorphosed from the downright digital immigrants,” he said.

He encouraged Batswana to embrace BOU with the knowledge that the institution was grounded and had partnered with mature and reputable open universities. ends