TEC should take education fairs to major centres

| Thursday January 21, 2010 00:00

We cannot help but admire their recently launched Botswana Education Fair to be held in March. The fair will certainly inform form five leavers and the working force on which career paths are marketable in Botswana. Better still potential students and their sponsors will have an opportunity to 'see and compare' as all tertiary institutions will be presented under one roof. However belated this step, TEC deserves to be commended for at least appreciating finally that this arrangement needs to be in place. The only flaw however, is TEC's insistence that the fair will only be held in Gaborone. Surely having the fair only in Gaborone will be to the disadvantage of thousands of students in other areas.

It certainly would make sense for TEC to take the fair to other major centres, from where it may be easier for students to attend the fair. Needless to say, if the fair is held in Gaborone only, students would need to travel hundreds of kilometres to Gaborone. Once in the city - if ever they make it, they will need to find accommodation, all of which can be very expensive. We have in the past commented about the fate of students who sleep in bus stops and halls while they await sponsorship letters from the government.

TEC should not expect a different scenario to play itself out when they start their fair in March - unless indeed they have arrangements to take the fair to other major centres and communicate that information with students. TEC should not be regressive in its efforts and we will see its determination to go forward in doing it right the first time round.

Weed out illegal Schools

TEC has once again promised to weed out illegal schools. We urge TEC make good on their promise this time around. Way too many people have thrown their money down the drain to illegal schools masquerading as universities and colleges. Sadly many a student find way too late that the piece of paper that they received from the so-called college or university is actually a piece of nothing that belongs in the trash can as no institution is willing to hire graduates from such colleges. We will wait to see just how loud TEC actions will speak this time around.

                                                      Today's thought

'When you climb a flagpole, people are going to see you and they'll want to knock you down, not because they want to be up there themselves - but because they don't want YOU there.'

                                              - Jerry Lewis, comedian