University Botswana Journals
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DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS INFLUENCING GRADUATE PROGRAMME COMPLETION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA
Full text linkHigher education institutions worldwide face the challenge of reversing the downward trend in programme completion and graduation rates. This paper explores students’ perception of influences on timely and delayed graduate programme completion in the Botswana context. This correlational research involved a sample of 155 participants drawn from the 2014 and 2015 cohorts of graduate students at the University of Botswana. Participants completed a questionnaire requesting sociodemographic information and data on facilitators and barriers related to timely and delayed degree programme completion. Logistic regression was used for data analysis. The statistically significant predictor variables were age group, study mode, sponsorship, and students’ attributes. The results point to a number of policy and practical interventions for boosting graduate students’ success and completion rates
PROMOTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LANGUAGE-IN-EDUCATION POLICIES THROUGH INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE-BASED SCHOOL CHOICE: EQUITY IN BOTSWANA AND NIGERIAN PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Full text linkA number of African countries are revising their language-in-education policies to improve their educational systems. In 2022, Botswana and Nigeria revised their language-in-education policies to recognize more indigenous languages and extend their functions in education. Sequel to the above, this paper is a shift from the policies of the two respective countries to the gaps identified in the implementation of those policies at the primary school level. It has been identified that most non-public schools run contrary to the stipulations in the policy documents by using English as the only language of instruction. Allowing private schools to continue using English as the only language of instruction in primary schools is contrary to the principle of equity which democracy promotes. Premised on this, this paper proposes a school choice policy that could be adopted in Botswana and Nigeria to encourage privately owned primary schools to implement the revised language-in-education policies. Through school choice, children will be able to attend private schools without losing the benefits that accrue from the use of indigenous languages as media of instruction.
 
Exploring the Efficacy of Animated Characters as Online Demonstrators to Improve the Learning Experience of Students: A Case Study at the University of Botswana
Full text linkThis research investigated the effectiveness of animated characters as online demonstrators in enhancing the learning experience of University of Botswana students. The study employed the Multimedia Learning Theory (Mayer, 2008) to understand the impact of animated characters on student learning. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining survey and interviews for data collection. Quantitative findings revealed a mean rating of 3.00, signifying a positive perception of animated character integration. Thematic analysis provided qualitative insights, emphasizing the captivating nature of animated characters in creating an engaging online learning environment. However, challenges such as technical glitches and diversity in learning preferences were acknowledged. The research underscores the importance of addressing technical issues and aligning animated character usage with pedagogical goals. Recommendations included ongoing assessments, resource allocation, and flexibility in integration to accommodate diverse learning preferences. By bridging theory and practice, this research contributes valuable insights for educators, instructional designers, and policymakers seeking to optimize the use of animated characters in higher education.
 
IMPLICATIONS OF THE TRIBAL LAND ACT, 2018, ON THE RIGHT TO PROTECTION OF PROPERTY
Full text linkThis article will interrogate the recent amendment to the Tribal Land Act which led to the Act being repealed and replaced by the Tribal Land Act, 2018 (herein referred to as the ‘Tribal Land Act’), as well as the Deeds Registry (Amendment) Act of 2017 (herein referred to as the ‘Deeds Registry (Amendment) Act’) and how they affect the right to protection of property as outlined by the Constitution of Botswana. This article will also investigate the Botswana Land Policy 2019 vis a vis the amendments and their effectiveness or otherwise in preserving the right to protection of property as envisioned in Section 3 of the Constitution of Botswana. Lastly, the article will provide a conclusion and outline possible recommendations if any.
 
Quality Parameters of Seed Oil of Moringa oleifera Lam. Grown in Gaborone, Botswana
Full text linkThis study was conducted to characterise the physicochemical properties of the seed oil of Moringa oleifera grown in Gaborone, Botswana. The Moringa seeds used for oil extraction were collected from the backyards of different households in Gaborone city. The cold press technique was used to extract oil from Moringa seeds. Quality parameters of Moringa seed oil were compared with a commercial virgin olive oil using the student’s T-test. The Moringa seed oil had an average refractive index, density, acid value, peroxide value and saponification value of 1.4675 ± 0.000, 0.9085 ± 0.001(g/cm3), 0.670 ± 0.313 (mg KOH/g), 0.15 ± 0.710 (mEq O2/kg) and 134.08 ± 7.140 (mg KOH/g), respectively. The Moringa oil had comparable physicochemical characteristics with virgin olive oil except for refractive index, peroxide value and colour. The results showed that the values for the physicochemical parameters of M. oleifera seed oil fall within the recommended limits for edible oils. This suggests that M. oleifera seed oil grown in Botswana could potentially be used as edible oil for human consumption
Introducing a New Pedagogy to the University of Botswana School of Nursing: Global Distance Simulation
No full textThe current global health challenges require a transformation in the nursing education approach. Global Distance Simulation (GDS) ovide a realistic and immersive environment for nursing students to interact and collaboratively explore real-world clinical scenarios with peers across the globe in their respective classrooms and their countries. The study aimed to implement a GDS with a collaborative multi-university global team to enhance nursing students' clinical reasoning and prioritization skills. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. It involved 32 nursing students from four nursing schools, three schools from United States of America and one the University of Botswana. All participating students rated the briefing, scenario, and debriefing as effective, evident by a rating of either 2 or 3 on the Simulation Evaluation Tool-Modified Version (SET-M. Three major themes were identified: Simulations empower nursing students, learn from different cultures, and look forward to more simulation opportunities. The limited clinical space in Botswana, especially for specialty areas like critical care and emergency nursing, necessitates nursing curricula to explore alternative educational pedagogies, including simulation, to ensure continued student progression
IMPARTING LITERACY SKILLS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT LEARNERS IN ZIMBABWEAN RURAL SETTINGS. TOWARDS ACHIEVING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY
Full text linkThis study sought to establish the achievement of equity in the imparting of literacy skills to Early Childhood Development (ECD) learners. The study also intended to understand the literacy skills divide between the rural and urban ECD learners. While many decisions have been taken by organisations which are concerned with equity in education among learners, the problem of inequitable distribution of resources as well as cultural differences among urban and rural populations still remains a barrier to the provision of quality education to many learners in rural settings. Differences in learners’ socioeconomic background explained only part of the performance gap between learners who attend urban schools and those who attend schools in non-urban areas. Using the cultural deprivation theory as a framework to guide the study, the researchers explored the strategies which the rural teachers use to impart literacy skills to early childhood learners in line with SDG4 on equitable quality education. An interpretive qualitative design was used. A Phenomenological case study which utilised observations, interviews as well as photo voice was used to generate data from four ECD teachers in the rural settings. Barriers to achieving equity in terms of learning resources as well as cultural differences in Zimbabwean rural schools has had a negative impact on imparting literacy skills to learners in most rural settings. These barriers have led to low pass rates, high dropout rates as well as lack of trust in the notion that acquiring an education is paramount to changing the quality of life of individuals. The findings revealed that most teachers tended to use indigenous materials as well as traditional rhymes, folk stories and games to impart literacy skills to the learners. The use of indigenous materials proved to be a very useful way of addressing problems of equity which arose from the uneven distribution of resources between rural and urban schools although the cultural differences still remained a serious impediment to the children’s acquisition of literacy skills. Based on the findings, the study recommends that there is need to come to a common understanding of the definitions of what constitutes knowledge by all stakeholders who are involved in the education of the EC
AN ASSURE DESIGN FRAMEWORK FOR MICROSOFT TEAMS INTEGRATION IN REMOTE INSTRUCTION: A CASE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA
Full text linkThe pandemic-driven virtual education had impelled the University of Botswana (UB) towards virtual learning tools, including Microsoft Teams (Teams). While UB teaching instructors are experienced with virtual platforms like Moodle, their experience with Teams is limited. Besides, existing literature in Botswana explores user experience with Teams, but often neglects the fundamental role of instructional design models for addressing these challenges. Nonetheless, with the pandemic shifting education online, instructional designers are urged to prioritize strategic media use, and content tailored to specific learning goals. This study proposes an innovative ASSURE-based Teams training program to be adopted by UB academic staff in distance education. Findings suggest the ASSURE model's efficacy as a valuable tool for designing effective remote learning instruction. This will empower decision-makers in Botswana's higher education sector to rigorously evaluate Teams' effectiveness in remote learning, driving its continuous improvement for students
An Analysis Of The Constitutional Protection Of The Right To Collective Bargaining In Zimbabwe
Full text linkFrom a historical perspective, the right to collective bargaining has often been rendered impotent by an interplay of factors. Before the major reforms introduced by the Labour Amendment Act, the right to collective bargaining was nominally proclaimed but denied in substance. The Constitution marks a pinnacle of the process that stated with the Labour Relations Amendment Act. Section 65 of the Zimbabwean Constitution now unambiguously provides for the right to collective bargaining. This constitutional provision is the fulcrum of collective bargaining laws in Zimbabwe. This is because the constitution lies at the top of the hierarchy of legislation in Zimbabwe. Any legislation that is in conflict with it is invalid. The Constitution is a transformative legal document that is both a backward looking and forward looking document. However, it must be mentioned that the Constitution extends the right to collective bargaining to all but security services employees are excluded from the enjoyment of the right. These are members of state security. They are different from private security employees like security guards. This effectively endorses the view that military personnel, members of the prison service, members of the police force and members of the central intelligence do not enjoy the right to collective bargaining. At the end of the day, they are exposed to the dictates of their employer whose conditions of employment are unquestionable. Apart from the members of security service, the rest of public service employees now enjoy the right to collective bargaining under section 65 of the Constitution
TAXATION AND THE HAND OF JUDGE PRESIDENT KIRBY: A CURSORY GLANCE
Full text linkThis article discusses five cases from the Court of Appeal (COA)[1] in Botswana handed down in years 2016 and 2017. A common denominator amongst these cases is that they all pertain to issues of taxation in Botswana and have been decided by the apex court being the COA. Since the COA is at the apex in the hierarchical structure of the courts, discussing cases solely from it means that the law in these cases represents the current and true position of the law in Botswana with regards to that particular issue. An even more pivotal similarity is that all the decisions analysed in this article were handed down by Judge President Kirby whilst at the COA. This critical similarity cuts to the gist of the article which aims to pay tribute to Judge President Kirby albeit in a small way. Effectively, this article does not purport to speak authoritatively over all the decisions taken by Judge President Kirby but it contends that even by a simple examination and analysis of five decisions handed down in two years it is demonstrable that Judge President Kirby’s legacy in tax adjudication at the COA is one of refinement and clarification.