DDT College Blames Rivals for Misinformation and Student Poaching

Parliamentary Education Committee chairperson, Carter Hikuama, has denied allegations that Parliament resolved to expel members of the DDT College of Medicine Student Representative Council (SRC).

Hikuama, who is also MP for Maun West, described the claims as misinformation, stressing that Parliament does not have such powers.

“There is no way we can expel students. That is simply not within our powers,” Hikuama said, addressing reports that some students had been told Parliament had sanctioned the removal of SRC members and petition organisers.

The clarification comes after DDT College students delivered grievances to Parliament, seeking an audience with any member willing to listen. The students allege that the college has engaged in underhanded tactics to suppress dissent.

Among the accusations is the sudden removal of access to the student portal, an essential platform for academic activities, including online examinations.

They further claim that SRC members’ accounts were deliberately blocked, disrupting communication and access to vital resources during the exam period.

Some students also allege they received phone calls from school officials claiming that Parliament had endorsed their expulsion, a statement Hikuama categorically rejected.

The Parliamentary Education Committee is expected to submit its findings on the DDT College matter this Wednesday, following weeks of investigations into the institution’s affairs.

Minister of Youth Lesego Chombo has also promised to listen to the students’ pleas and potentially visit the campus to assess the matter from all angles.

In a press statement, DDT College of Medicine accused unnamed competitor institutions of engaging in foul play, claiming they are deliberately spreading misinformation to discredit the school and lure its students away.

The college alleged that rival schools have been contacting DDT students, urging them to transfer under the pretext that the college is facing closure or has lost accreditation.

Management described these claims as false and malicious, designed to cause panic among students and parents.

“The misinformation campaign has been carefully orchestrated to undermine our reputation and to destabilise the academic environment,” the statement read.

The college further alleged that certain institutions are targeting students during their examination period, offering them immediate transfers in exchange for “false endorsements” against DDT.

Management warned that such conduct not only violates academic ethics but also disrupts the academic progress of students who may be pressured into making hasty decisions about their studies.

DDT emphasised that it remains fully operational and continues to meet its academic obligations.

It called on relevant authorities to investigate what it describes as “unfair competition and academic sabotage,” stressing that the well-being and educational progress of its students remain the college’s top priority.

The institution is yet to respond to the detailed questions sent to them.