Progression of students causes confusion at BIUST

Tempers are high at the Botswana International University of Technology (BIUST) as Senate Executive clash with Level 100 Course Coordinators over progression of first year students.

The BIUST Senate Executive met on the 19th of January 2024 and approved that all first-year students will proceed to second Semester irrespective of their first Semester academic standing.

Senate Executive Acting Secretary, Patience Khuwa said the prerequisites will be “waived” to allow first year students to take second Semester modules, adding that the University takes first year student retention seriously and makes this decision in an effort to “improve first year student retention”.

Level 100 Course Coordinators have pleaded with the University Vice Chancellor to intervene in the matter. In one of the communications to the VC and staff members, the Senate has been urged to consider that the issues affecting level 100 Courses and teaching and learning in general are urgently addressed within the confines of constraints that BIUST is currently experiencing.

According to one of the Coordinators, Dr Jacobus Diener from the Faculty of Sciences in the Department of Physics, it is vital that action is taken now, since all issues affecting first year courses will affect second year courses in the next academic year among others.

The issue of first year retention, and the promotion thereof, is an institutional one and should be addressed on the institutional level, Diener argued.

He added that the urge to jump to the conclusion that “lecturers need to do more to promote retention” must be suppressed since most factors that affect teaching of the first year courses, as well as other large courses are well beyond the control the control of the individual lecturers.

He brought it to the attention of the VC that during the semester, there were many disruptions to first year lecturing, mainly because teaching venues were not available for the timetabled lectures.

BIUST Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Itumeleng Mangole stated that the University Senate was yet to consider the recommendation by the Senate Executive and therefore not yet final.

She said Senate Executive decisions are not final decisions to the extent that they need further approval by University Senate. According to Mangole, all students will be progressed in accordance with the established prerequisites set by law, the regulatory institutions and the university Senate.

Last year in August the coordinators stated that lecturers are invested in their courses and students’ experience and learning. They argued that unfortunately, there has been ongoing systemic disregard for Teaching and Learning issues at BIUST, in particular when it comes to large “service” courses like the Level 100 courses.

The coordinators stated that the origin of the large enrolment is unclear, as well as how it came about resulting only in being apparent at this late stage.

“The lack of communication and regard for the academic staff who are the ones who needs to execute this task have a very negative impact on staff. There is great concern that essentially almost doubling the enrolment will also undermine quality, learning, as well as academic freedom. Conflict between expectations of students and reality will be directed at lecturers, leaving us exposed,” a letter from the Level 100 Course Coordinators, reads.

They queried that recognition of teaching duties is not considered in incentives and promotion to the extent that adequately represent the efforts of the lecturers that are tasked with these courses.

They also say there is anger and resentment among lecturers due to the lack of engagement and lack of understanding and appreciation of the problems that are imposed on lecturers. This frustration stems from the repeated voicing of concerns, but with seemingly little impact.

“The short notice given - less than a week before the start of classes, will impact delivery of the curriculum. That being said, the following were considered and discussed; Infrastructure and facilities; Auditorium is too small.

“The timetable will not accommodate further division of courses; Splitting students into three groups will not work because creating Science and Engineering group will cause conflicts in BIOL101 and CETG111 b.”