| Contact Details Contact
Person: Dr McDonald
Tel: 307 650
E-mail: Damelin@info.bw
Fax: 351 865
Description
The Botswana franchise of Damelin South Africa, registers students in
Botswana to enrol in the Damelin South Africa courses. All administration, management, and
student support is then coordinated from South Africa. This arrangement presents some
difficulties particularly as the South African schooling qualifications (Grades 10, 11,
and 12 or matric) are not recognized in Botswana, where scholars sit Junior Certificate
and General Certificate Educational (GCE) Examinations. For most courses, Botswana
students write examinations in Botswana at examination and testing centres. Those students
writing the South African matriculation examination have to write these in South Africa.
The Botswana Damelin office acts as a testing and examination centres
for MS, GTS (including A+, Microsoft Systems Engineering and N+), Toefl, and GRE testing.
In additional it runs a computer school and management courses. It has an agreement with
the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) in the United Kingdom for certain courses.
The management school offers certificates, diplomas, and graduate diploma programmes.
Programme options include:
- Office practice;
- Business studies;
- Management and marketing;
- Purchasing and Supply Management; and
- Accounting and Finance.
These programmes are recognized by Botswana’s Directorate of
Public Service Management (DPSM). Some courses draw on Damelin South Africa materials,
while others use ICM materials. In some instances, students are given an option to write
ICM examinations in addition to the local assessment. High achievement in this
international examination, enables students to enrol in an ICM Masters in Business
Administration (MBA). Damelin Botswana hopes to offer a two-year, full-time management
programme, after which successful students will be accepted into British universities at
second-year level. The University of Botswana has undertaken to consider such candidates
on a case-by-case basis.
The computer school offers training in applications such as Windows, MS
Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Accpac, and Pagemaker. While Access courses are offered, there is
no great demand for these. In addition, the school offers GTS programmes including A+,
Microsoft Systems Engineering, and N+.
Delivery Modes and Technologies
Students register for Damelin South Africa courses, and study via
correspondence using printed texts. Students enrolled in the Damelin Botswana management
and computer programmes attend face-to-face sessions in the evenings and on Saturday
mornings. Most courses run for thirteen weeks with two three-hour contact sessions weekly.
A textbook and course outline are used. Classes take place in two computer laboratories
each of which have 12 computers. Students have access to an additional three computers on
which they can practice.
Learner Support Strategies
Learners are supported during face-to-face sessions. They have access
to three practice computers and can get telephonic support.
Assessment
Students are assessed by sitting a single two- or three-hour
examination for each course.
Quality Assurance
ICM overviews the examinations and courses offered at the school. The
DPSM and University of Botswana also examine the courses to gain approval. Students are
encouraged to complete evaluation questionnaires. These are only submitted to tutors once
all marking has been completed.
Professional Development
Damelin Botswana employs eleven staff in total. Four Damelin staff are
currently taking MCSE courses, while others are studying management part-time. One of the
requirements for staff employment is that training staff must be working in the area in
they intend to teach.
Enabling and Hindering Factors
McDonald identified the following enabling factors:
- There is a large market for computer and management courses in Botswana; and
- Employers sponsor the course fees of 60% of students.
He mentioned the following as hindering factors:
- There is insufficient office space;
- There is no elevator, which prevents disabled students from enrolling in the courses;
- Being privately run, Damelin is dependent on student fees for income and does not
receive any government sponsorship; and
- Housing for staff in Gaborone is expensive.
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