The Malaysian university came into this country with a view to make a meaningful contribution to the skills development of our young generation. We know that private institutions at tertiary level were in short supply, and the University of Botswana (UB) and allied institutions, could not meet the demand for tertiary education. There was, furthermore, a deep need for other courses, especially in the new technology-focused skills like IT, new media and others. Therefore the role of ABM, Limkokwing, NIIT, GIPS and other private institutions can never be underestimated. The 1, 800 young Batswana graduates would not have otherwise had access to higher education without the contribution of such institutions. These institutions should, therefore, be recognised for the vital role they play in our development.
However, we would like to caution them to refocus their attention to the crucially important aspect of their training agenda, quality. Critics often warn that private education is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. They warn that education - that hallowed enterprise of knowledge acquisition from interrogation, experimentation and contestation - is too time-consuming to be left in the hands of the private sector particularly in a small economy like ours. Most believe that only the state should be dabbling in such matters, or that only the state is capable of delivering quality tertiary education with the finesses required, or at the very least that government must have a hand in ensuring that education is provided at the right quality. Critics of private education, especially at tertiary level, contend that often the private sector is too concerned with the profit margins to really care about the quality given to their graduates.
