Vice chancellor pleads for student sponsorship

NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent | Monday October 11, 2010 00:00

 

Otlhogile was speaking at the 2010 joint graduation ceremony of the University of Botswana (UB) and the Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) on Saturday.

The institutions have incorporated a total of seven new programmes that had graduating students for the first time this year.

Otlhogile said that he acknowledges the fact that the country is still in the grip of a major financial crisis but urged the government not to deprive any deserving student of sponsorship for tertiary education.

He said that in times of austerity it is always difficult to ask the government to protect certain areas of public spending.

'I fully support cost sharing but that should not mean reduction of the allotment to university education sponsorship,' he emphasised. Otlhogile said this plea to government is not for the benefit of the university but rather, 'it is what is good for the future of the country.'

He said for Botswana to be competitive in the knowledge economy and succeed in building hubs that are to drive the economy, the government needed to spend even more on higher education.

'While I understand the sensitivities around the world over global security, we must accept that universities more than any other sector of the economy rely significantly on international labour and therefore UB must be protected against any change in the immigration system,' he said.

Otlhogile revealed that through their set enrolment targets with the Tertiary Education Policy (TEP) and the National Human Resource Development Strategy, UB is planning on opening a new branch campus in Maun. He said the objective is that by 2014 the facility will be established and will help in increasing the number of graduating students locally.

He also said that they are committed to extending the range of offerings and student enrolments at graduate level.

'This past year the University Council approved for immediate implementation nine graduate programmes,' he said.

Meanwhile, guest speaker for the event, Regina Sikalesele-Vaka, encouraged the private sector to take interest in the education system of Botswana by sponsoring more students, funding research projects and generally collaborating with UB.

She said that as beneficiaries of the system, it is important for the private sector to assist the Government so as to relinquish some of its overarching control.

'I therefore call upon the private sector to rise to the challenge and to collectively contribute its resources, its creative thinking, its external links and networks to stimulate the future development of this country in whatever manner required,' she said.