TEC and BOTA Merge, A Turning Point

ISAIAH MOREWAGAE
Staff Writer | Monday March 15, 2010 00:00

The Asistant Minister of MoESD, Keletso Rakhudu said that the government is working to come up with one single body that will regulate the tertiary institutions in the country.

Rakhudu revealed that the tertiary institution would be regulated by one common legislation, unlike the current situation whereby institutions are regulated with different Acts. The MoESD is expected to review the existing legislation and develop a new generic Tertiary Education Act that will give legal effect on all tertiary institutions in the country.

Rakhudu was speaking at the launch of the tertiary education policy campaign strategy, adding that the education environment has been engulfed by many challenges for a long time including poor quality education by private institutions who nevertheless charge exorbitantly.

He revealed that new graduates face problems of finding employment as they are apparently not 'work ready'.Rakhudu also pointed out that colleges of education, colleges of technology and institutes of health sciences would also become autonomous so as to benefit their communities just like the University of Botswana, Botswana College of Agriculture and Botswana Accountancy College.

For his part, TEC executive secretary Dr Patrick Molutsi said the groundwork on the drafting of the legislation is already underway. Dr Molutsi said they are expected to present it to the Education Minister sometime this month.

He however said they would be delayed by another project designed at improving quality of tertiary education in the country, which is the merger of BOTA and TEC.

Dr Molutsi added that the tertiary education policy is the turning point in the development of education in Botswana. He said a successful implementation of the policy will result in an education system that is relevant, dynamic, accessible, equitable and internationally competitive. He said the policy aims at increasing diversity of choice for students.