Bosa Bosele Institute struggling to pay salaries
Baboki Kayawe | Friday August 19, 2016 15:35
Management has attributed the delays, which they say started in June, to government’s decision not to sponsor Diploma programmes at the three campus - Gaborone, Francistown and Selebi-Phikwe.
An affected worker said since the beginning of the year the institution was at pains to remunerate them.
“It got so bad that we could receive our monthly salaries a week or so when the next pay date was due. You can imagine how much financial and social strain that presents,” the frustrated employee said. In June, the workers are said to have had only a fraction of their dues while July salaries are still outstanding.
The vice president of Trainers and Allied Workers Union (TAWU), Allan Keitseng said following complaints from their membership, they met with Bosa Bosele Institute management to find a lasting solution to this problem. The Gaborone campus, which is said to be the most affected by salary delays, has a total of 23 staff members, 12 of whom are TAWU members.
Keitseng said given the frequency of this problem, the union engaged with management in May advising that the institution choose a convenient date to pay salaries.
“We asked Bosa Bosele to re-arrange the payday to a date most suitable for them but they have since not reverted to us,” said Keitseng.
He said they are left with no options but exploit the legal route if the conciliatory measure TAWU has sought does not bear fruits. So far the union has taken up the matter with the labour office with mediation billed for September 7.
“We really wish to reach a solution to this matter in a peaceful manner but if all else fails we will be forced to escalate it to the courts because non-payment of salaries is a criminal offence,” he said.
However, director of academic services, Mathabathi Mathabathi said as a very small, but growing institution with a small student enrolment all of whom are self-sponsored, most students face challenges in paying their fees on time which ultimately affects their financial status.
“The decision by the government to stop sponsoring our diploma programme has significantly contributed to the financial woes that the institution finds itself in today,” he said.
He added that payment delays started in June when the last batch of government sponsored students completed studies. At the end of May, 152 learners completed their programmes, and now the three campuses only have 78 new learners enrolled.
“The directors of the institution are working round the clock to secure funds to improve the operations of the institution and the situation is expected to have normalised by end of August 2016,” he assured.
He also said they will meet TAWU in two weeks time to further discuss the issue, with an expectation of having reached a definite payday for staff effecting from next month.
“What should be noted is that though there were delays in payment of staff, in the final analysis all staff will end up getting their dues,” he said.
Commenting on the issue of possible closure that employees have expressed fear over, Mathabathi said there was procedure to be followed when an institution or any company is sold.
“At this point that is an issue that is still on the director’s table and if it gets to that point when a final decision is reached to sell it then an official statement will be made to the staff, learners and other stakeholders,” Mathabathi said.
Bosa Bosele Institute has a staff complement of 29 workers and a student population of 300 at its three branches.
In its mission, the institution vows to adequately train course participants at all levels for skills acquisitions in their respective disciplines through courses that are tailor-made to suit the present day end user’s needs.