02 Dec 2019

 The Ministry of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development is aware of circumstances at Maun Technical College which prevail at the other 36 brigade institutions and technical colleges. 

Mr Mpho Balopi explained that the ministry was considering several mitigating factors to ensure that smooth learning takes place. 

He said the factors were reverting to old programmes which were accredited by Botswana Training Authority (BOTA) but remained operational under Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA), working within the existing institutional carrying capacity where possible, and complying with the BQA’s learner protection regulations of 2016. 

He said Maun Technical College had a carrying capacity of 700 learners, and that it has 107 teaching staff, 67 of them on permanent and pensionable, 40 temporary while 66 was non-teaching staff. 

Mr Balopi said 2 021 learners were admitted as at October 30, 2018, and that about 1 148 of them reported on January 7, 2019 to commence their studies. 

Minister Balopi said there were 19 accredited courses offered at the college, emphasising that there were no unaccredited courses as at October 30, 2019 as they were discontinued before that date.

“Currently, there are no learners enrolled for, or attending unaccredited courses. The number that previously attended unaccredited courses is 1 148,” he said. 

The minister said consultations were ongoing with relevant stakeholders to consider and determine any possible mitigating steps which were to benefit students, or those adversely affected by the attendance of unaccredited courses. 

“The ministry’s records show that the number of Maun Technical College staff affected by delayed progression is 27. Progression on promotion in the public service is done under the provisions of the appropriate scheme of service and other policies and procedures,” he said.Mr Balopi further highlighted that out of the 27 officers affected by delayed progression, the status of seven had been corrected and they have been paid. 

“The remaining 20 have approached the Ombudsman. Their case at present is being attended to by the ministry and the Ombudsman with a view to concluding the matter soonest,” he said. Maun East Member of Parliament, Mr Goretetse Kekgonegile had asked the minister to state the carrying capacity of Maun Technical College in terms of learners and staff numbers, the number of learners admitted at the institution as at October 30, 2018, and the mitigating factors to ensure smooth learning considering that the enrolment was over the carrying capacity.

He also inquired on the accredited and non-accredited courses at the college as at October 30, 2019; the number of those attending and who previously attended non-accredited courses, the benefits of government facilitating the attendance of non-accredited courses; if none, government’s future mitigating intensions to students who attended the non-accredited courses. 

The question also included the number of Maun Technical College staff affected by delayed progression as at October 30, 2019 and when their progression status would be corrected and when the government intends to pay them their overdue remunerations. ENDS