UNVERIFIED CLAIMS GUC Rebuts MP Mabeo’s Claims of Unaccredited Courses as “Baseless and Politically Motivated”
The Gaborone University College of Law and Professional Studies (GUC) has issued a strongly worded rebuttal following allegations made by Ramotswa MP Hon. Boniface Mabeo during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session on July 23rd. The MP claimed that GUC, alongside DDT College, offers unaccredited programmes, a statement GUC has labelled “false, misleading, and politically motivated.”
In a media statement released by GUC Managing Director Professor Antoney Joseph, the institution categorically denied ever offering unaccredited courses, asserting that all its programmes are fully accredited by the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) and endorsed by relevant professional bodies.
“It is deeply unfortunate that Honourable Mr. Mabeo, shielded by parliamentary immunity, chose to make careless, unresearched, and damaging claims that tarnish the reputation of our institution,” the statement reads.
Central to the controversy is GUC’s Bachelor of Law LLB (Hons) Degree, awarded in partnership with Leeds Beckett University in the UK. Hon. Mabeo alleged that the programme is not recognized by the Law Society of Botswana, a claim GUC refutes with documented accreditation and graduate outcomes. The college stated that the LLB programme was accredited by BQA in March 2020 following endorsement by the Law Society, and that graduates from the 2023 cohort have passed the Bar Examinations and have been admitted as attorneys by the High Court.
In addition, the statement said, the 2024 cohort sat for Bar Exams in June 2025.
GUC further emphasized that its law graduates are eligible for legal practice in Botswana under the Legal Practitioners Act and criticized both Hon. Mabeo and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher Education, Professor Nelson Torto for supporting what it called “unverified claims.” The institution urged officials to consult publicly available accreditation records on the BQA website or seek clarification from the Law Society and the Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF).
In a gesture of transparency, GUC invited members of Parliament, the media, and the public to visit its campuses in Gaborone, Mmopane, Francistown, and Maun to verify its academic credentials and operational standards.
“We remain committed to upholding academic excellence and national development, and we will not allow falsehoods to undermine our mission,” said Professor Joseph.
The PAC is expected to continue its scrutiny of tertiary institutions this week.
