The Botswana Tertiary Education Council (TEC) 2nd annual fair was a success, with a good turn up of students from all over the country.
The Fair was a check point of TEC’s journey of transformation. It was held from March 23-26 with the theme “Tertiary Education: Shaping your Future”.
TEC Executive Secretary, Dr Patrick Molutsi, said the fair was held to give local institutions a platform with an academic portfolio that is of high quality. He said there is need to have check points of the progress of the education sector, adding that there is need for the government to diversify the sponsorship ‘cake’.
Molutsi said that 35 institutions have expanded their sponsorships. He further stated that before the establishment of TEC, the education sector was fragmented without grounds and standards.
“Challenges in the quality of some offered programmes causes concern and our objective is to merge the institutions,” said Molutsi.
He added that the first three years of the establishment of TEC were the registration of institutions and 35 have been registered and accreditation has been developed.
He pointed out that a total of 40 programmes are accredited, adding that it is relevant for training institutions to re-examine the quality of products and services they offer, in line with one of the Vision 2016 pillars of ‘informed and educated nation’.
Molutsi stated that in view of the success of last year’s fair, TEC decided to stage the fair on an annual basis.
“TEC is leading in transforming of Botswana to a globally competitive knowledgeable society through tertiary education,” said Molutsi.
The objective of the fair was to provide the locally registered public and private tertiary education institutions the platform to effectively market their programmes of study.
Form Five leavers were advised on career choices marketable in Botswana. This year TEC fair attracted close to hundred exhibitors, both public and private institutions countrywide.
It also attracted workers, business executives, professional trainers, consultants and the general public.
Limkokwing University of Creative Technology got the outstanding first position in technical institutions followed by Institute of Development management (IDM) in private institutions and then Serowe College of Education.
The Private institutions category was led by Botho College, followed by GIPS.
The fair this year was sponsored by the European Union, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Human Resources Development Advisory Council, Botswana Examinations Council and the Botswana Training Authority (BOTA) in partnership with Gabz Fm.