Kgolagano College of Theological Education

Botswana

Kgolagano College is the only ecumenical learning institution in Botswana.  Established in 1975 to provide theological education and training for its member churches, it serves a diverse group of stakeholders which include mainline churches, a number of African Independent Churches, and Christian organizations.  It has a broad curriculum that addresses contemporary challenges in society such as HIV/AIDS, children’s ministry and preschool education, and pastoral counseling. No other theological institution or public institution, for that matter, in Botswana offers similar programs and to such a wide range of stakeholders.

Kgolagano College offers certificate and diploma programs in Theology by distance and a number of short, residential courses for lay leaders. Its graduates serve member churches as priests, deacons, lay priests, Sunday School teachers, and church leaders. The majority of the students who enroll in these programs are supported by member churches.  

Building Needs

The overall objective of the future plan for Kgolagano College is to transform it from an extension college to a modern and expanded college. The timeframe for this transformation is projected for a period of four to five years beginning in 2008. In the process the College will be set on a very firm sustainability path and should become a University College with the authority to grant its own degrees.

The proposed transformation is to be achieved through the following:

• Provision of new building infrastructure with state-of-the-art equipment for the delivery of a new curriculum and to accommodate expanded enrollment.
• Development of a relevant and expanded curricula in Pre-School Education, and other selected fields, including Theology, in order to provide diploma and degree programs in these fields that meet the demands of access to higher education and the needs of the churches for higher qualifications in Theological Studies, Preschool Education, and these other selected fields.
• Development of a new library with the state-of-the-art technology and based on the principles of a learning resource center to support both the residential and distance programs of the College.
• Development of policies and regulations, including a quality assurance framework, to ensure that the qualifications of the College are of high quality and enjoy national and international recognition.
• Development of new governance and management structures suited for a modern institution.
• New staff development policy and staff conditions that guarantee a reliable supply of administrative, academic, and support staff and their retention.

The College is prepared to raise 10 percent of the total funding required for the project from its own resources which include land properties and small city properties which could, as necessary, be sold to raise its contribution to the project.  Global Ministries plans to walk with Kgolagano College on this new endeavor, especially in areas of staff development and training, equipment purchase, and the library project. 

Work with Prisoners

About 10 percent of the Kgolagano College students are prisoners, both male and female. This is an important opportunity for the prisoners to explore their faith and find opportunities for life after prison. It has also proven to enhance the College as a whole, bringing a broader range of perspectives to discussion. Prisoners, guards, and prison administrators are often all a part of mainstream classes along with other students. To continue this initiative, the College is seeking funding for scholarships for prisoners.

Botswana’s Vision 2016

The College also strives to align its operations to Botswana’s Vision 2016 (1997) which seeks, among other things, the building of an informed and educated nation by 2016. Through an expanded program in its unique area, Kgolagano College will, in a small way, contribute to the building of such a nation. One key to Vision 2016, and most relevant to the work of Kgolagano College, is the building of a moral and tolerant nation. The role of Kgolagano College in insuring the realization of this aspiration is beyond question.

Below is a list of special ways in which your gifts can help support Kgolagano College:

• $50 can cover the cost of tuition for a single class
• $75 can help purchase a computer station for the library
• $100 can help supply the kitchen with cooking equipment
• $200 can help buy dormitory furniture for the proposed new 20 shared bedrooms
• $250 can provide a scholarship for a full semester of classes
• $500 can help purchase seating for the proposed 100 seat lecture/theater/chapel

To learn more about the Kgolagano College Library Project, click here: http://globalministries.org/africa/projects/kgolagano-college-library.html

To read the 2011 report from the Richard Sales Bursary Fund Scholarship at Kgolagano College, click here: http://globalministries.org/news/africa/richard-sales-scholarship.html