No supplementary exam for final year students - Rakhudu

Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Keletso Rakhudu, said yesterday that supplementary examinations are not part of the university's processes.  "Final year students will not be allowed to sit for supplementary examinations because currently these are not part of the academic regulations of the University of Botswana," Rakhudu said.  He, however, said that the government stands to lose huge sums of money if final year students do not to complete their studies.

"For example, for a student from a science based course who stays off campus and discontinues after semester one, the government would have incurred expenses amounting to P29,882. This money covers the student's tuition, books, living allowance, special equipment, protective clothing and stationery," he noted.  "For a final year student, who discontinues in the last semester, the government would have incurred expenses amounting to P227,527." Rakhudu told the House that experimental supplementary exam sessions were conducted last year and that the university encountered a lot of operational challenges.