Stranded students are 'in the lap of luxury' - envoy

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Monday August 2, 2010 00:00

In a telephone interview last week, Dorcas Kgosietsile said the students, who arrived in Mumbai on a Sunday, had used the wrong exit from the airport while their contact persons from the Botswana mission and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations waited for them at the International Arrivals exit.

Their contact persons looked for them until they found them hours later. 'They went through the Domestic Arrivals exit while people were waiting to welcome them at the International Arrivals exit,' Kgosietsile said.  'They were with other Batswana students who were going to RAI Foundation who informed the contact persons that they must have gone in the wrong direction. The High Commissioner said after the students were found, they were brought to the mission for lunch and they spent the night at the accommodation provided by the institution.  'The following day, they went to school to register and were informed that they would be provided with other things after full registration,' she said. 'We then processed their settlement allowance as authorised by the Botswana government. They are in the lap of luxury as we speak.'  Even so, Kgosietsile believes that most of students who arrive in India from Botswana are 'fond of picking and choosing'.

'They were complaining strongly about the sheets they used on their first night and we gave them their settlement allowance to buy new sheets,' the High Commissioner said.

'They should be grateful for the 100 percent scholarship by the donor country instead of dwelling on the negatives. They should know that while they are here complaining, another student is at home without a scholarship.'

Meanwhile, two of the students will be studying for their junior degrees, while the other two will be pursuing their Masters degrees. All are on full ICCR sponsorships that include a stipend, accommodation and full tuition. Kgosietsile said there are currently 15 students from Botswana in India, some of whom are sponsored by the Botswana Defence Force.