Chandapiwa Baputaki
18 December 2008
All is not well at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, says Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Ruth Maphorisa.
Speaking at a press briefing in Gaborone yesterday, Maphorisa said that there are a few things that are happening at Limkokwing University that the ministry find questionable.
"We had controversies with the university and maybe it is time we introspect our relationship with them," she said before Education minister, Jacob Nkate, stated that the ministry does not have any contract with the university.
She revealed that they have requested the university to give them a list of their lecturers. "We are concerned about a lecturer being in Botswana campus and all of a sudden they are at Malaysia or Lesotho. We have requested that they give us a profile of their lecturers to know who is working where," she said.
Maphorisa stated that they have had complaints from students about being lectured by other students who have just completed their studies. "We are not satisfied to have first degree holders teaching students studying towards their degree. We cannot shy away from that," she said.
She explained that they are looking at various options, if nothing changes, including transfer of students at Limkokwing Malaysia to other institutions offering the same courses within Malaysia. It was also noted by the delegation that visited Malaysia that most of the students who were misbehaving were from the same university. "The ministry is aware of that and recommendations would be made," Maphorisa said.
On reports of unaccredited courses, Maphorisa said that the ministry has asked for a list of accredited courses from the Malaysian Qualification Authority. She said as far as they are concerned, the courses in question were expiring and the university had applied for re-accreditation.
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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
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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.