UB SRC clarifies students allowances

TUMELO SETSHOGO
Correspondent | Wednesday September 5, 2007 00:00

It is reported that students at the mentioned institutions are getting a monthly allowance of P1,900 while they (UB students) are given P1,700 monthly. 'This disparity has long been in place even before the arrival of Limkokwing and other local institutions. Students at BAC used to get P900 while we here at UB were getting P800,' said Abet Segalwane, who told Mmegi that he has been a student since 2001.

University of Botswana Student Representative Council (UBSRC) secretary general, Mike Itumeleng told Mmegi in an interview that, 'there is nothing with other students at the said institutions getting more money than us. In fact they are getting what we are getting here in UB.' Itumeleng said the allowance looks as if they (UB students) are getting less allowance because 'we are given personal allowance when the semester starts, while students at Limkokwing and other institutions are given them on monthly basic.' He said this makes it look like 'we are being cheated because when they (Limkokwing students) are given personal allowance monthly it makes the whole allowance P1,900 as ours remain at P1,700.'

He said they have explained this arrangement to students and they have understood it clearly. 'It is now water under the bridge,' said Itumeleng, adding that they even told UB students that with regard to BAC students getting more allowance than what they are getting even though they  are a government institution is that, 'BAC is a partnership of Botswana government and Debswana and some of the money comes from them which we can't access.'

Government last year took the decision to sponsor students in local institutions as a way of reducing the cost being spent by sending students outside the country. This saw many students admitted in local institutions after being registered with the Tertiary Education Council (TEC).