Botswana: Chinese Studies Programme in Place

Gaborone — Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development Mr Fidelis Molao has told Parliament that the original Chinese Studies Programme has not changed and that the third year is offered locally at the University of Botswana (UB).

Responding to a question from MP for Ghanzi North Mr Noah Salakae, assistant minister Molao said in the current 2015/16 Academic Year, the level 3 students did not go to China and due to financial constraints, his ministry reprioritized programmes for sponsorship and this affected the Chinese Language Programme’s external component.

He said the university had instead put measures in place to provide an equally rich environment for the students to gain fluency in Chinese, adding that no lecturer in the Chinese Studies Programme had ever been denied work or resident permit.

Mr Molao said from 2011 to 2016 the student-teacher ratio for different academic years to date since inception of the programme was 1:10, 1:15,5, 1:19,5 and 1:28 respectively.

Mr Salakae had asked the minister to update Parliament about the Degree Programme on the Chinese Language which was introduced at UB in 2011 and whether the original curriculum package had changed.

He had also wanted to know if the third year was still in China and the first two years and fourth year at UB and the status quo, how many lecturers had had their work and resident permits denied or not renewed and the state of students-teacher ratio for different academic years since 2011.