Boitekanelo College, BONU collaborate
With the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating shortage of trained health professionals across the country, the Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) and Boitekanelo College have entered into a partnership to help address issues of training and career advancement in the nursing profession. The private healthcare institution and the union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the learning institutions’ Tlokweng Campus on Tuesday.
The MoU outlines the principal terms and conditions agreed between the two partners and their respective responsibilities in their collaboration.
Among some of the key items the MoU entails is the development of quality learning programs which will be done by a collaboration of a 12 member steering committee comprising equal members from the institution and the union. Through the MoU, Boitekanelo College will develop a Degree curriculum for Nursing with participation of the union while also ensuring accreditation of nursing programs and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and in service short course for BONU members. The curriculum will be submitted for approval to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Botswana.
On another level, Boitekanelo College will commit financial and technical resources to assist BONU in the Bi-Annual Research Conference organised by the union.
In turn, BONU will provide technical and advisory role in the development of industry informed curriculum and short courses that will be responsive to the needs of its members for career advancement.
The union will also provide six members with relevant experience and qualification to the steering committee tasked to achieve the development of the curriculum and undertake needs assessment to align trainings with the needs of BONU members.
Furthermore, BONU will promote the short courses and degree programs amongst its members and relevant key stakeholders while continuously advising and making recommendations to the institution and the educational needs of its members to advance human capital development.
The model of the partnership is such that the College will offer BONU 2.5% of tuition revenue of the nursing programmes while giving a 10% discount on tuition fees to BONU members.