E‐learning initiative at the University of Botswana: challenges and opportunities

The University of Botswana has a student population of over 12,000. However, when neighboring South Africa attained majority independence in 1994, the University began to see a great proportion of its international market dwindle. Similarly, an increasing number of universities are offering distance education through the Internet, but the University of Botswana does not yet offer Internet‐based learning. South Africa has a well‐developed higher education infrastructure while the University of Botswana does not have enough locations to cope with demands for admission from students completing high school. There are also people who are employed and wish to pursue further education at the University of Botswana, but employers are generally reluctant to release them while they are still in full time employment. Such people need a flexible model of learning. There are yet other people with family commitments that wish to study from home, but are not catered for. The University of Botswana is responding to these challenges in a number of ways. Notable among them is the integration of information and communication technology into the entire education process. The University sees the use of information communications technology as an important tool in bringing about education reforms. Investigates the efforts that are being made by the university to implement the e‐learning strategy and assesses the challenges and opportunities that await the university in this endeavor.