Parliamentary Committee walks out of DDT College mid-inspection

The Parliamentary Committee on Education walked out of DDT College of Medicine during an inspection this week after college management refused to proceed with the visit if suspended Student Representative Council (SRC) members were included.The delegation, which included Deputy Speaker of Parliament and area MP Pushie Manyeneng, had arrived to assess ongoing student complaints regarding accreditation, academic delivery, and campus conditions.Opposition Whip, Caterpillar Hikuama, who is also a member of the committee, confirmed that they reluctantly yielded to the institution’s demands, although the committee had deemed the presence of SRC leaders essential to understanding the students' grievances.The inspection follows a petition to the Ministry of Higher Education and Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF), and a campus-wide protest led by students who are now boycotting classes and examinations.Their demand: immediate government intervention and clarity on the college’s legal and academic status, following the Botswana Qualifications Authority’s (BQA) revocation of DDT’s accreditation on June 10th.Suspended SRC members have since come forward with explosive claims that DDT College continues to bill the DTEF for students who have dropped out, transferred, or never attended classes.“Some of the people still reflected on the register are no longer in school. Two were discontinued, one has been in Zambia since January, and several dropped out months ago—but the college is still billing DTEF for their tuition and lab fees,” an SRC member said.He alleged that some modules, including practical lab-based subjects like Organic Chemistry, have never been taught but still appear on DTEF billing schedules.“I went to DTEF personally. These modules exist only on paper,” he said, calling the situation a “scam on the national budget.”There are also claims that exam results are being processed for students who no longer attend the college, raising concerns over the manipulation of academic records.Tensions peaked on August 1st when DDT College suspended the entire SRC and all class representatives via WhatsApp messages. The suspension letters cited “unbecoming misconduct” but offered no specifics or formal hearing processes.According to students, the suspensions were politically motivated, allegedly triggered by the recent visit by MP Lawrence Ookeditse and the rise in student protests.“One of the suspended students was at home attending a funeral and never participated in any demonstration,” a student said. “Another hasn't been on campus since January. This is a witch hunt.”The college invoked Section 3.64 of its Learner Support Services Policy, which prohibits suspended students from coming within 100 meters of campus or contacting stakeholders. Expulsions may follow pending disciplinary hearings.The suspended SRC had earlier petitioned Higher Education Minister Prince Maele and DTEF Director Neo Sebolao, questioning why public funds continue to be spent on an institution that is not accredited.Although DDT is operating under a temporary High Court order, students argue this does not annul the BQA decision, which renders any learning or exams after June 10th invalid in the eyes of professional licensing bodies.They also cited the Consumer Protection Act of 2018, accusing DDT of misleading students about the accreditation of programmes such as Doctor Assistant, Physiotherapy, and Medical Laboratory Science.Graduates reportedly face rejection from regulatory bodies like the Botswana Health Professions Council (BHPC).“We’re not calling for cancellation of DTEF sponsorships,” suspended SRC President Gilbert Motlhabi said.“We’re asking for a temporary freeze in payments until the institution is reaccredited and able to provide credible education.”Motlhabi added that many students remain stuck in limbo, unable to register for exams, and urged the government to at least release the September living allowances.Students are now demanding transfers to other institutions, invoking two DTEF clauses: one allowing transfers for first-year students, and another in cases where an institution loses accreditation.In a public statement, DDT College defended its operations, citing a 95.4 percent compliance score from a BQA inspection in April 2023. It claimed the revocation was influenced by political and regulatory interference.It also blamed BHPC for allegedly ignoring a court order to license its graduates, many of whom are employed in public health, mining, and the military.The college dismissed the student petition submitted to Parliament as “malicious,” and accused some students of fabricating complaints to pressure the school into issuing expulsion letters — thereby ending their DTEF sponsorships.DDT College did not respond to a questionnaire from this publication regarding the specific claims of billing DTEF for non-attending students or untaught modules.Allegations of financial misconduct and academic mismanagement were also not addressed at press time.

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Parliamentary Committee walks out of DDT College mid-inspection