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Probe team unearths irregularities at Student Placement
STRYKER MOTLALOSO
Staff Writer
12/10/2004 3:44:48 AM (GMT +2)
An inquiry into allegations of irregularities at the Department of Student Placement and Welfare has unearthed a number of corrupt practices and mal-administration. The investigation chaired by Peter Siele found that the department did not adhere to established selection procedures in determining who qualified for external sponsorships.
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 For example, a certain Botho Kowa was selected for placement in South Africa, despite the fact that she did not meet the aggregate cut off point of 34. Kowa had an aggregate of 40. In another case, Daphne Kebakile got sponsorship to study in the United States though she had poor grades. When the department discovered that she got the sponsorship wrongly and wanted to withdraw it, the Office of the Vice President overruled it. The Ministry of Education overruled efforts by the department to correct some of its wrong decisions particularly in Kowa’s case. The inquiry found the department guilty of giving sponsorships to people who did not apply at all. Such was the situation in the case of Mpule Kwelagobe. Siele’s inquiry says the decision contravened the department’s application procedures. The report found that Kwelagobe “never tended any application or requirement such as Tirelo Setshaba and Ordinary Level certificates”. At another level, the inquiry established cases of misplacement of applications for sponsorship by the department. One such case involved Mike Klinck, who applied in 1997 and was advised that he would be placed at the Greighton University in the United States. But it later emerged that his file had been misplaced at the department.
The inquiry found that government lost money through contractual agreements signed by the department for students’ accommodation in South Africa. The problem emanated from the fact that the department did not seek advice from the Attorney General’s Chambers. South Africa’s Preston Hotel is said to be threatening to institute legal action against the Botswana government for breach of a lease agreement for accommodation. The threat comes despite the fact that all the 116 students that were supposed to be accommodated by the hotel had vacated the place. Another issue unearthed by the inquiry is that Ingwe Medical Health Scheme that covers Botswana students in South Africa did not stipulate the nature of the benefits.
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