BUAN Management, Students Clash

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday August 19, 2019 14:49

Students of the agricultural school last week held peaceful demonstrations in protest of unaccredited courses that include four-year degree programmes the university offer.

First year students were told to enroll for Bachelor of Science first and promised that when they complete the programme other curriculums or courses would later be accredited. The courses or programmes are BSC mathematical science, BSC wildlife management and BSC bio diversity.

The programmes were advertised and the students applied for admission, but just two weeks before the school reopens the 30 affected students were then told that they would not be offered the courses as they were not accredited.

The students say management is now failing to come up with stiff resolutions on the matter and does not want to account to the huge inconvenience on the part of the students.

BUAN Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Moitlamo Mpinda said they want the school management to account on all these issues raised.

“We had been having meetings but nothing has happened or being done. There is also issue of staff shortage, maintenance issues at hostels, security is also lax in the school,” said Mpinda.

Students also complain about lack of practicals as the job profiles of BUAN technicians manning the laboratories have been redefined and now lecturers are forced to do a lot of work.

“The lecturers are also refusing to do the job that was done by technicians during the practicals. The lecturers say they cannot be made to mark and prepare assignment during practicals. They feel the work will be too much for them. The technicians jobs are now replaced by tutorials and as students we feel the school management is compromising our work,” added Mpinda. BUAN vice chancellor Shalaulani Nsoso said there are some issues that they are aware of that had been raised by the SRC. 

“There are some courses or programmes that are accredited and those that are not accredited. Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) has delayed in accrediting the courses. We had hoped that those courses would have been accredited by the time the school opens,” said Nsoso.

“On the issues of maintenance amongst others, we are touring the school with SRC to see how some of the problems may be solved. We are trying our best for things to normalise so that students could attend their classes.”