- IAS faced with limited resources and over placement of students
- IAS enrolls 20 students a year
- School fees estimated at P1million per student
LETLHOGILE MPUANG
Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) has confirmed that it is investigating the International Aviation Solutions-Aviation (IAS) Academy and that it has ordered the institution not to enroll any new students as a result of noncompliance.
The aviation school which commenced operations in October 2013, is owned by Thatayaone Teezzarh Seduke a businessmen with close connections to former Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) Director General Issac Kgosi through lucrative tenders he benefitted directly from the spy agency. IAS provides aviation management and offers courses in Private & Commercial Pilot License.
According to information gathered by The Botswana Gazette students at IAS Aviation Academy take longer than the stipulated duration of study to graduate. This has been attributed to over placement of students due to its limited resources. In 2016, during IAS official opening and first graduation, Seduke revealed that the training intuition only had 16 aircrafts but they were looking to increase the number given the increasing number of students.
Students who spoke to this publication revealed however that not all aircraft were currently in use as the training institution is failing to keep up with high fuel costs and maintenance of the aircrafts.
Attempts to source for a comment from the school authorities were unsuccessful as the school’s office line was temporarily out of service. Seduke’s mobile line was also unavailable for the past two weeks.
Responding to this publication’s enquiry on the matter, BQA Communications & PR Manager Selwana Pilatwe – Koppenhaver confirmed that BQA has received complaints of over placements of students which has led to limited resources.
“The complaint was received in the 23rd May 2018 and the due legal process of handling institutional complaints was followed with the involvement of stakeholders; management of the ETP, learners, Civil Aviation Authority Botswana (CAAB), Department of Tertiary Education Funding (DTEF) and others,” revealed BQA Head of Communications.
Selwana Pilatwe – Koppenhaver advised this publication that their investigations have been concluded, and a decision not to enroll any new students was reached.
“The investigations have since been concluded and the provider has been given time to correct the non-compliances. In the meantime, the provider has been instructed not to enroll new learners,” concluded her response.
The Botswana Gazette has been informed that the school currently has more than 100 students, with an intake of 20 students per annum. School fees are approximately P1 million per student. A good number of the students are sponsored by government through DTEF.
Sources at the aviation school also revealed that since August this year IAS retrenched more than five members of staff as the school was said to be running at a loss. Some of the remaining employees at IAS are being owed arrears in salaries.
In 2014, the Ministry of Education, through the Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF) sponsored 15 students at a tune of P15million. The multimillion payment caused controversy after it was established that the training institution was allegedly not accredited to offer commercial license courses by Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana.