Government has decided to terminate its contract with Deborah Retief Memorial (DRM) after protracted discussions over the terms of occupation of the building.
The DRM owned building accommodated 120 students studying nursing and other health science related courses.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health (MoH), Malefho Kolatamo has said the management of DRM and MoH Memorandum of Understanding had expired on December 2013 but discussions between the two proved protracted to a point where the ministry decided to walk away from the negotiations.
“We have been having disagreement on the terms of occupation to a point where we couldn’t agree amicably and as a results we decided to relocate the school from their side to IHS ÔÇôGaborone” said Kolatamo.
According to Kolatamo, fortunately government has enough facilities in Gaborone to accommodate the combined intake of those from Mochudi and those already Gaborone.
He says Government rented the building which housed 120 Health students studying General Nursing, Health occupation and other health related professional courses.
Kolatamo says with the school expected to produce quality industry health professionals it was not good to see them learning in a building which is not in a good condition.
He says all the second and third year students will be transferred to Gaborone Institute of Health Science beginning July and the new first year students will be directly enrolled in Gaborone for the upcoming academic year.
Information passed to The Telegraph is that all the progressing students are expected to attend a meeting scheduled for this Friday where the Ministry will inform them of the decision to relocate them to Gaborone (IHS).
The Dutch Reformed Church Botswana Synod spokesperson Rev Dikeme Radikgomo says he is not aware that the ministry has pulled out of the discussion and even relocated the IHS students to Gaborone.
“I’m not aware of such decision because what I know is that the discussions are ongoing to renew the contract which had expired sometimes in December 2013,”said Radikgomo.
Radikgomo says the MoH seems to have a problem with the new modern market rate to negotiate on the new payment
He denied that the buildings are in bad condition and strongly says the double storey is new and can be used for both accommodation and offices.
