How can a Pemanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education scrutinize an international university in botswana that in a time period of less than two years has accomplished more than what local educational institutions have managed to accomplish in over 15 years. What have you done to improve education in our country that has yet to see any improvement? Instead of putting down an instituton to cover for your failure to deliveer on your promoises of development you should continue to promote foreign direct investment to allow us to develop. It is ignorant people like you that hold us back.

Madam PS,

I must question your motive in your behaviour and injustice against the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

It is a university respected in almost all the countries on Earth, by people from the most senior rungs of society, for being a driving force in changing the norm and raising standards of education and the quality of life for thousands upon thousands of people.

It has improved the economic landscape of Botswana, and has been praised for saving your government billions of Pula, creating jobs, bringing new technology, creating opportunities for people, creating meaningful work for people, including yourself. This goes without any doubt.

This is an organization, with plenty to do, from another country. The organization, lead by Founder President Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Lim Kok Wing, has spent commendable time and money in Botswana.

They have taken on the task of education our people, people that would not have had much else without this university. They would be on the streets. They can now be part of something to be proud of, and is one of the very few world-class organizations in Botswana.

The Limkokwing University has established itself after almost four decades of nothing else happening.

It has expanded to occupy THREE CAMPUSES IN ONE YEAR.

Now, you think you are superior to this institution.

You think you are superior to its cause and thousands of students, as well as thousands of respectable and respected alumni.

You think you are superior to the university president.

You think you are superior to what your very own President himself invited to your country.

How, in what exact way, are you superior??

What have you done for your country?

What have you done that has created so many opportunities?

What have you done for countries outside of your own?

Shouldn’t we now question you and your character (or lack of)??

Mustn’t we question your integrity and substance?? Your motive and approach?? Your efficacy and disdain for others more successful??

It is felt, that you, are not positive about anything better than you. You have not done anything positive for your students. You have not done anything to serve anyone else, you have not done anything to improve the situation, only throw mud and disrespect people.

Madam PS. Learn to show some respe

What makes you feel that young people don’t deserve respect?

You are old, how much should we respect you?

Why should we respect you?

There are billions of young people more able than you.

There are billions more capable than you.

There certainly billions with better hearts and intentions.

Why should anyone respect you when you have done nothing to settle the commotion orchestrated against the Limkokwing University?

You behave as roughly as an uneducated person.

You are obviously not intending to help anybody, so why don’t you shut up and get out of the way??

Dear PS,

Where I can see, All is not well with You and Your University, not Limkokwing University.

You have done nothing but complain and put blame on others.

Limkokwing University has invested in our country but what have you done?

All is not well at the University of Botswana, not the Limkokwing University.

All is not well with your attitude and leadership.

the local institutions have been struggling for years, and everyone has been laid back about the issue. Maybe a bit of competition from a foreign institution is what is needed to get people to start moving. PS your true colors have come out. You are the type of person who is threatened by people who are better than you and then you start to complain. why dont we question ourselves first and see why we have not developed over the past years.... Answer that question for me

Has anyone ever talked about Botswana's educatioN? we have got so much in resources! what did we do!? South Africa is miles ahead. wat for!? we can do our own. We can build our own. Maphorisa - Limkokwing is Batswana! they are part of us! one of us! our own people make up the whole entire school. why are u shooting urself in the leg,. do u want hundreds to be out jobs! let them build a career. let them have hope in their lives. let them make a contribution to this country where u have failed! irene

What did we have since Limkokwing arrived in Botswana? All our hopes and dreams that meant nothing? countless hours of waiting and filling forms, queuing up at the student placement office for a chance to have a life. a life that we always dreamt of! now that we all stand a chance at limkokwing, now that we have all been given an opportunity, isn't it wiser to take it and turn it into something for our benefit, rather than complaining its not good enough. Maphorisa - i say u speak for yourself. Maybe u wish u were given a chance to enjoy what we have to day from Limkokwing. Maybe u should get out of ur small world and realise what we have today. and what u did not have and never will ever in ur life before u start crushing our dreams and speaking on our behalves. I dont think we appointed u to be our spokesperson in any case. on what basis are u talking from? Ernest

As a Motswana I am ashamed at the way we have been treating Limkokwing, a foreign investor who has built a new university from scratch within a very short time. I don’t believe any Motswana company could have done what they have done. Stop your moaning and groaning. Do that in your bedroom. Not in public please. Our second University has been in the planning for years, and would have cost a lot of money. I would advise them to invite the President of Limkokwing University to help setup our 2nd University. You should consider this suggestion seriously. Instead of criticizing and complaining you should do something positive and productive. goodwill

it depend where you hear this crisis from. if you were home you would understand. i hear you all say limkokwing is batswana, i say it is just buildings. i dont have problems with the way they accelerated, but what they teach and how. what is it they got apart from building, no labs, student dont have practicals, no computers, no lectures, only one prof, the head. the rest are just names, how dont stay in the country. from that one prof, the next title is mr lecture. thats are batswana who if you are in studies overseas, you know them well, your liltle brothers and sisters, who graduated befrore you do.

PS - what do u have in store for us? Are you any better? Do you know what is good for us? for this country? today we have achance of mking a change! did you bother for the last 3years? Where were you!? what did you accomplish? did you come to my town, knock at my door and give me this opportunity that i have today! Limkokwing did! William.s

PS WHo are u to suddently judge the best thing that happened to us in years. We grew up expecting nothing. Why attack? Don't you have other matters to deal with? how about how BEHIND UOB is. about how old the technology they're teaching is. About How are schools are not equipped with the right tools. About how some of us can still barely have a good written english! we NEED to grow up and look at ourselves in the mirror. u threw in the first stones as if you are perfect. As if u made botswana what it is today! who are u to criticise. Who are u to preach what is good or bad?

PS - what do u have in store for us? Are you any better? Do you know what is good for us? for this country? today we have achance of mking a change! did you bother for the last 3years? Where were you!? what did you accomplish? did you come to my town, knock at my door and give me this opportunity that i have today! Limkokwing did!

I agree! Ive spent countless of hours begging for a chance from the placement office. none of them had an idea of what to do with me. PS - why are u taking this away from us?? No wonder this country cannot improve! no wonder this CONTINENT cannot move forward. because of people like you, with a mentality that ages from the prehistoric times. the world is changing, the world is moving. OBAMA brought Change. Limkokwing Brought Change. We now have HOPE! What did u accomplish?

PS do something constructive with your time. these outbursts show how small minded and pathetic you are.... why dont we review you credentials and see if you are even qualified to be in the position you are in.... Since you have been promoted you have done nothing but question others..... Seems like you are misusing your power....It is you that needs to be questioned........What are your intentions?

This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

Limkokwing did what we wouldnt have accomlished in 10 years! if u can do as much in just a couple of years as what Limkokwing did, why don't you teach Limkokwing how to run their business. Look at them, they have receiuved awards throughout the world, they have campuses in so many countries. and they choose to be here to be part of our growth. and this is how u react! it is so inconsiderate. it is so irresponsible. Do u wish for our children and grand children to inherit nothing? Every time there is a change, there are good and bad experiences, but we ALL LEARN from those. We learn so that our future generation can have a BETTER LIFE! Think PS.

I think we wouldn't have done in twenty years! look at UOB!

When will UOB give us something we really want to study!? Do the people at UOB really know whats happening in the world? Do they know how to use the Internet there? :)

Rahter than spending millions abroad where our children, brothers and sisters are all by themselves - we have a chance of keeping them close to us. We got to stick to gether in these times. The world is in recession. What ON EARTH are we doing chasing INVESTORS!?

Millions SPENT abroad. Is our COuntry any better!? Limkokwing is throusands of us who will take over industry! Africa watch out for Limkokwing grads!

Criticism is probably the only thing you might be good at. why dont you try and be good at your job? Thats one of the biggest problems with our people, Critiquing others before we judge ourselves. Isn't it enough that a foreign institution has offered us a helping hand. It is people like you that create a bad reputation for all of us. Your arrogance and ignorance will be an obstacle getting in the way of our development. Maybe you could learn a thing or two from Limkokwing.

Well put..... That old hag needs to learn a thing or two. For god sakes when are we going to actually get rid of stupid people like her. How many us are lacking the education we need and our own universities cannot accommodate us? What do you intend to do about that PS? Let me guess tell us to wait maybe until we die of old age until you can figure out how to solve the problem. We need solutions now and Limkokwing is contributing.... Cant say same for you? You are useless, all talk and no results

PS! MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL get into politics and take over ur seat and teach you some serious business! everytime an investor comes into the country, we refuse to learn, we refuse to adapt. we are too proud. what do we have today? learn to share. learn to listen. and u shall see the benefits. there are no losers. we can all be winners. Why are we at this stage? why fgight? why argue? didn't we all benefit? what did we lose? how much have we gained? now think again... maybe its time to change!

How did all this happen? this is ridiculous. PS. i don;t know who you are. i don't know where you popped out from> do u even know the beginning of the story before u talk. Were u even there when we asked for help?

i've been in Malaysia for like 2 yrs now and what i've learnt is to get out of my small world. to think forward. i use to think my life was doomed - that it was all written on the walls. but i've learnt that everyone has an opportunity to accomplish something in life. PS, this is not the way to do things. it is rude and inconsiderate of our part. botswana deserves to have a chance to grow, to learn from its mistakes and to benefit from every opportunity like i did. why are you playing GOD!? who gave u the power to do so?

PS WHo are u to suddently judge the best thing that happened to us in years. We grew up expecting nothing. Why attack? Don't you have other matters to deal with? how about how BEHIND UOB is. about how old the technology they're teaching is. About How are schools are not equipped with the right tools. About how some of us can still barely have a good written english! we NEED to grow up and look at ourselves in the mirror. u threw in the first stones as if you are perfect. As if u made botswana what it is today! who are u to criticise. Who are u to preach what is good or bad?

PS WHo are u to suddently judge the best thing that happened to us in years. We grew up expecting nothing. Why attack? Don't you have other matters to deal with? how about how BEHIND UOB is. about how old the technology they're teaching is. About How are schools are not equipped with the right tools. About how some of us can still barely have a good written english! we NEED to grow up and look at ourselves in the mirror. u threw in the first stones as if you are perfect. As if u made botswana what it is today! who are u to criticise. Who are u to preach what is good or bad? - william

Dear PS,

As a Motswana I am ashamed at the way we have been treating Limkokwing, a foreign investor who has built a new university from scratch within a very short time.

I don’t believe any Motswana company could have done what they have done.

Stop your moaning and groaning. Do that in your bedroom. Not in public please.

Our second University has been in the planning for years, and would have cost a lot of money. I would advise them to invite the President of Limkokwing University to setup another University.

You should consider this suggestion seriously. Instead of criticizing and complaining you should do something positive and productive.

I couldnt agree more... We need help in developing our country and our people. We are living in the past and everyone is too laid back here. I am worried, do we still want to be looked down upon by the rest of the world. Education is what we need. I have heard alot about Limkokwing, the university has developed itself in 3 continents. PS is making it sound that the university is not stable. She needs to examine her own office, the one we always hear about having incompetent staff. All they sit and do is argue about what they think proper education is.... If they know so much about education then how come a foreign institution developed 50 times faster then our own local institutions.......

i greatly appaled but the way the madam PS has shown disrespect to this new university that has been a beacon of hope to so many batswana students who would only dream of a international education.

it is my sincere hope that the madam PS look into helping this university rather than making accusations againts it.

I couldnt agree more... We need help in developing our country and our people. We are living in the past and everyone is too laid back here. I am worried, do we still want to be looked down upon by the rest of the world. Education is what we need. I have heard alot about Limkokwing, the university has developed itself in 3 continents. PS is making it sound that the university is not stable. She needs to examine her own office, the one we always hear about having incompetent staff. All they sit and do is argue about what they think proper education is.... If they know so much about education then how come a foreign institution developed 50 times faster then our own local institutions.......

OK.

So, the Ministry of Education wants to know about the University and its operations - and there is an outcry.

What is the issue?

1) Should the ministry be interested in the program(s) offered at the university?

YES! Upon graduation, the students enter the local job market and most of them expect the government and industry to have programs in place to accommodate them.

Case in point, suppose the government is suddenly required to accommodate those who graduate in "nuclear engineering" or "aerospace science" .. Good areas of study - but the government will need to initiate appropriate crush programs NOW so as to be able to please such graduates in their area of interest 10 to 15 years hence! So, are advanced courses in "nuclear engineering" and "intestellar flight" being taught at Limkokwing? Do we need to know?

Does the caliber of the instructors matter?

YES. Is the institution well staffed to be able to accomplish the task admirably?

In short, the government must plan now, and make projections for its future manpower needs. And enrollment at its institutions is an input into that process.

Churning out 'graduates' may not be the issue here. Consider the country of Kenya: Many who graduate with B.Com degree at Kenya's 'premier' University of Nairobi are still unemployed and unemployable more than 5 years since graduation. Should their parents have spent their meager resources on their higher education? Should the society and the education system have built in the students high expectations?

[Other issues may not be that obvious. Consider the university in Kenya again: Their exams are moderated, and their curriculum polished, to meet the standards of such institutions as the University of London. Yet Kenya's (UoN) B.Com graduate may be unemployed while a white man who graduate in the same year or after with a B.Com degree from UK's institution dictates the policy and the fate of the locals as an 'adviser' in Kenya ...

Thus, the foreigner in employed in Kenya and enjoys the good life that Kenya offers while the local with comparable credentials wallows in destitution. (Neo-colonialism)]

.

2) Should the ministry inquire about the institution's accreditation?

YES.

Is accreditation important?

YES. The government needs to know the breadth/coverage and depth/capabilities of its manpower base now and into the future - so that it can plan for the shortfalls.

So, the question still remains - why the hue and cry regarding such a routine request from the ministry?