After recent reports that the Government was considering scaling down the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), fresh reports have surfaced that the university has lost the services of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration.)
It has also emerged that construction, which is currently ongoing in Palapye, is behind schedule, which may result in yet another postponement of the opening date.
Although the members of staff who passed information to The Sunday Standard indicated that Dr Julia Saurazas had serious differences with Vice Chancellor Kweku Bentil over key policy aspects, the university’s Director of Communications and Publicity said the departed academic could not keep up with the high demands of setting up an ambitious project such as BIUST.
In an interview with The Sunday Standard, Shakie Kebaswele, however, acknowledged that the loss of Dr Saurazas was a setback to the university.
She left barely six months into her job.
“Finance and Administration can be a challenging job as it requires an all rounder. The task gets even heavier when there are tight deadlines to be met as is in our case,” said Kebaswele.
He said there was, however, no truth in that Vice Chancellor Professor Bentil was an inflexible person bordering on the dictatorial.
“The fact of the matter is that he has certain expectations on us that make up his executive team. He has emphasized that we are pioneers and in that respect we have to set high standards for ourselves because those who will come after us will use our standards as a platform on which to do a lot of things for the university. If you have never been involved in setting up an institution the situation can often be a serious challenge,” he said.
Kebaswele said Professor Bentil has emphasized the importance of the university meeting its deadline to open by 2010.
In that regard, the Vice Chancellor has come with a set of targets which he has called “Focus 2011.”
These are basically broad objectives and time lines which outline specific targets and frameworks that will culminate in BIUST becoming a fully fledged university.
“In doing all these, the Vice Chancellor has sought the input and opinion of all of us. What more can a man do than engage those who serve under him?” asked Kebaswele.
If Kebaswele’s assertions that Dr Saurazas could not keep up with the momentum are right, then it raises doubts about the strengths of the university’s recruitment channel.
“We concede that our recruitment operations have to be strengthened and in that respect we are in regular contact with those mandated to handle our recruitment processes,” said Kebaswele.
