Humanities still a critical undertaking in education
Barolong Seboni talks of transition of learning and education, as he retires from UB after 40 years
Humanities are one of the education fields which have in recent years been slowly eroded as the world moves towards the Fourth Industrial revolution and an emphasis on technology and science based fields of study.
However, humanities play a critical role in the development and social cohesion of society as it touches on the core of the humane effect.
This was said by former lecturer of the University of Botswana ( UB) Barolong Seboni in an interview with this publication this week, as he reflected on his time as Senior lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities under the English Department.
He explained that Humanities are still important and should not be phased out as they help develop soft skills, which are indispensable in the current economy.
“As we transition to a knowledge- based economy, it is important to cultivate critical soft skills such as creativity, adaptability, problem solving and collaboration.
“Humanities form a critical component of this and the good aspect is that it gives learners a broader scope of understanding themselves, other people and the world,” he said.
Seboni who hails from Molepolole and is probably one of the most popular figures in Botswana academia, arts, business and social landscape, recently retired from UB after 40 long years of excellent service.
He is undoubtedly one of the longest serving lecturers from the institution and he has seen it morph from a growing base; a product of ‘ motho le motho, kgomo’ to being a flourishing tertiary institution that has birthed some of the most sterling leaders in society across all sectors from business, politics to showbiz.
He noted that a lot has changed over the years, not only in terms of the infrastructure but also the model of education. He said nowadays for example, academic courses are not as long as they used to be, with UB having introduced short course programmes of three to six months.
“Back in the day, a single programme was an average of a year but now they are shorter. The challenge is that when it comes to curriculum development, you wouldn’t know what to include and exclude given that the content has to fit into a shorter period.
“But the advantage is that we create a more diverse educated and skilled workforce because people get to learn on different subjects and possess various qualifications.
“Unlike before, nowadays it is important to have background on different fields or options of qualifications because the economy is evolving and people who are multiple skilled and educated have a better advantage in the job market and in business,” he said.
Seboni has played a key role in the development of curricular at UB, in his role as senior lecturer in the English department. Some of his successes include advocating and spearheading the implementation of African Literature in the tertiary curriculum and also ensuring that the curriculum covers written literature in Setswana.
He said it is also important to localise education for the benefit of translating it to our society, which also encourages Batswana to document their history, experiences and key important information on various facets of society, for the benefit of future generations.
Seboni’s first job was as a teacher at Mater Spei College in Francistown. Before then, Seboni studied and completed MA in English Literature at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA between 1984 and 1987.
Prior to that he had attained BA + CCE at UB in 1978. He worked his way up at UB, starting off as part of a staff development fellowship.
“It took me two years to secure the job even after qualifying. At the time, Botswana was going through a drought and employment prospects were limited and we had to wait,” he said.
The wait paid off as he finally got in and was one of the key role- players in developing the English Literature curriculum at UB.
Seboni has a well- decorated and vibrant life.
He is a ‘ nice man.’ That is the impression that anyone would get of him; friendly and polite, and always armed with a joke or two and ready for a good laugh.
There is no doubt that Seboni makes for good company as he not only has a colourful personality but he is also well- informed, well- travelled and possesses an admirable comprehension of the human psyche.
His gregarious nature has not only earned him friends - it is hard to imagine him having any foes - but also ensured that he flourishes in his career, vocation and business.
But Seboni is perhaps known for the key role that he has played in cultural activism and arts advocacy. He is also a popular published writer, and for more than a decade, he wrote a well- loved column called Nitty Gritty, which started in Botswana Guardian and moved to Mmegi.
He has published several books over the years including Windsongs of the Kalahari, Images of the sun, Lovesongs: a poems collection, Thinking aloud, Botswana culture diaries and an anthology of Botswana poems, among others.
In 2015 he won an award, the Premio Internazionale di Letteratura award from Italy for his book, In the disquiet air of the Kalahari. His writing has taken him across the world for performances and residencies, and he has been to Zimbabwe, South Africa, India, England, Scotland, Ireland and USA, among others.
He has also hosted several writers’ workshops within the Writers Association of Botswana. He has also shared his talent on radio, hosting shows on Gabs FM and RB1 and RB 2.
Seboni has also dabbled in business; he has owned butchery and a salon, and is the founder of the well- known Lobatse Beef Festival.