09 Sep 2014

About 83 students graduated from the Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA) at the college’s first graduation ceremony over the weekend.

The acting Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the event was symbolic of the great strides they continued to make in the development of the people and nation. 

Giving a keynote address, Minister Masisi said the education was the cornerstone of development and nothing surpasses the education of a nation. Education, he said, remained a top priority for the government as reflected by the highest allocation of the national budget at P9.26 billion this financial year. 

Minister Masisi said the government continued to believe in the potency of education as an instrument for developing the people, informed by the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC).

The human resource needs, said Mr Masisi have evolved from the pre-independence requirements of a new developing nation to those of a middle income democracy which is a major player in the global village.

Mr Masisi said that as a nation they strive to move from being factor driven to a knowledge driven economy and MANCOSA has a role in ensuring that they achieve this goal. 

He noted that training programmes should emphasise knowledge and entrepreneurial development and it was commendable that MANCOSA was already playing a significant role in that regard.

“You got here, not by accident but through hard work and commitment, each one of you is exemplary to members of your family, other students who are still learning and indeed many other members of society,” he said. 

For his part, the chief executive officer of MANCOSA, Professor Yusuf Karodia offered congratulations to all graduates, particularly the MBA graduates whom he said despite being in full-time employment and having busy lifestyles and family commitments, have successfully completed their studies.

He noted that from the 15 countries in which they deliver their programmes, the Botswana students outperform all the other countries and this signals the continuing achievement of their mission to develop and broaden the managerial and leadership skills of people in the country.

Professor Karodia said that one of the ingredients for locating Botswana on a high growth trajectory was through ensuring sustained investment in human capital development.

He also urged graduates to remain humble and not to forget that their success was due to the sacrifice of others.

The Principal of MANCOSA Botswana, Ms Patricia Tabengwa said, “Your graduation is a testament that you have earned your stripes, and that you have truly fought a good fight of academic pursuit. You have displayed the necessary commitment to learn, acquire and produce knowledge.

Now, go and apply this knowledge in the economic growth of the country.” ENDS