Africa-Press – Botswana. The Minister of Higher Education, Mr Prince Maele has highlighted the possibility of incorporating online learning into Botswana’s higher education system as part of efforts to expand access to tertiary education.
This was discussed during a courtesy call by the British High Commissioner to Botswan Mr Giles Enticknap recently, where avenues were explored to strengthen educational ties between the two nations.
Mr Maele emphasised that online learning could be a cost-effective solution to increasing access to higher education, enabling students to study remotely while receiving world-class education from reputable institutions. He expressed interest in meeting with the UK-based institutions offering accredited online programmes to explore potential partnerships.
“In my view, online training is cost-effective. Someone can be studying in the UK while sitting in the comfort of their home,” said Mr Maele.
He also said they wanted to explore whether they could finance online training to ensure that more students benefited from education, even if they were not physically present in a classroom. He stated that online programmes could allow more students to pursue higher education without the burden of relocation costs.
Mr Maele said a delegation from Botswana was expected to travel to London in May for the Education World Forum, where further discussions on potential collaborations, scholarships, and digital learning opportunities would take place.
He expressed interest in visiting leading UK Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to gain insight into best practices that could be applied in Botswana’s own education reforms.
Mr Enticknap reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to education partnership with Botswana. He acknowledged the deep-rooted ties between the two nations in education, including ongoing collaborations in TVET, leadership programmes, and scholarships.
He highlighted the significance of various scholarship programmes such as Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarships, which have enabled many Batswana, including senior government officials, to study in the UK. Mr Enticknap underscored the collaboration between Botswana’s universities and top UK institutions like Oxford, Glasgow, and Derby.
He praised the “What Works Hub” initiative, a UK-funded programme in partnership with Oxford University, which has been instrumental in improving English and Mathematics education across Botswana. Recognising Botswana’s ambitions in renewable energy, Mr Enticknap expressed the UK’s commitment to providing expertise, technical support, and knowledge-sharing in the sector.
He emphasised the ongoing partnership in cybersecurity and child protection, particularly in mitigating cyber threats affecting young children. Mr Enticknap welcomed Botswana’s interest in benchmarking at successful UK institutions that offer TVET. He confirmed the UK’s readiness to facilitate meetings with relevant academic institutions during the Mr Maele’s visit to the UK in May.
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