High- Level Engagement Meeting

24 Feb, 2025

This morning, Business Botswana’s Higher Education sector met with the Ministry to discuss key administrative challenges experienced by the sector. The meeting was co-chaired by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Professor Nelson Torto, and Mr. Golekanye Setume, Chairperson of the sector. Several administrative issues were raised seeking the permanent secretary’s intervention.

One of the main concerns raised was the misalignment between qualifications and the expiry dates of learning programmes.  Mr. Setume further informed Prof. Torto of the delays in the endorsement of qualifications by professional bodies citing that these delays may cause disruptions, preventing institutions from offering qualifications that meet industry standards. To resolve this, the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) CEO, Dr Botsalano Mosimakoko has committed to facilitating continuous collaboration between Education and Training Providers (ETPs), the BQA, and professional bodies.

Regarding the appointment of the BQA board, Professor Nelson Torto, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, assured the sector that the board would be appointed soon, which will help resolve accreditation and other matters needing the board’s attention. This is expected to bring more efficiency to decision-making processes and address long-standing delays.

On other issues, Dr. Mosimakoko also shared that the sector is continuing to meet regularly to tackle ongoing issues. She assured everyone that any matters not requiring the board's intervention would be promptly dealt with to avoid further delays.

The meeting also agreed to reconvene at a later date when the Minister and the Business Botswana President will be available, following the postponement of the high-level engagement.