Agricultural varsity off to a bad start
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday February 19, 2016 15:56
The previous council of the Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) took a resolution last December that the minister should find money to clear the debt urgently. BCA transformed into a university from the beginning of this month.
Lecturers of the former college are withholding students’ results demanding to be paid first. The BCA council had approved that the staff be paid 35 percent housing plus transport allowance of their basic salaries effective April 2015, but up to now they have not yet been paid.
Yesterday the permanent secretary in the ministry of agriculture, Boipolelo Khumomatlhare, said the minister has not yet resolved the matter but said consultation is ongoing.
“The minister is working around the clock to ensure that the issue is resolved amicably. The problem is that the ministry does not have money and it has to follow proper procedures when it pays. The university is going through a six months transition and some of the things are yet to be ironed out. It is a process,” Khumomatlhare explained.
Mmegi has learnt that some lecturers are demanding answers as they are operating in a vacuum since there are no proper structures in place following the transformation. Meanwhile Khumomatlhare believes that things will fall into place since they have appointed an acting vice chancellor. “The minister has appointed the former principal to a position of acting vice chancellor. One of his duties is to make sure that proper structures are put in place. It will be unfair to judge the person when he/she has only some days in the office,” he said.
He said the position of acting vice chancellor will be acted only for six months then after it will be up to the minister to appoint him or not on a permanent basis.