17 Apr 2016

Target 20 000 is born to address skills mismatch and to produce job ready graduates, says Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Moiseraele Goya.

Speaking during a Target 20 000 workshop in Palapye , Mr Goya said the newly launched education and training and sector strategic plan gives prominence to issues of youth unemployment and tackling the challenge of skills mismatch.

He said some young graduates were still unemployed because they have qualifications which do not satisfy the labour market.

He said blue collar jobs were a way to go, but that it was of concern that technical and vocational education was the least preferred route, adding that something was being done to make it more attractive.

Mr Goya, who is also MP for Palapye, said providing quality and relevant education remains the government’s top priority.

“We are putting emphasis on investing in skills that are critical to our development agenda. We are confident that acquisition of relevant skills opens doors to the labour market,” he said.

Furthermore, he said the government recognises that young people were endowed with talents and that all that was required was the necessary support and guidance to allow the talent to flourish and blossom.

“We know that given the chance our young people can rise to the occasion and shape their destinies.”

Mr Goya urged those who would benefit from target 20 000 to study hard and desist from taking part in strikes as was the case in some tertiary institutions.

He urged those who would be admitted to know that they were there to learn and not to take part in strikes which result in vandalising property.

He also informed them that once admitted they should attain knowledge not just a certificate.

For his part, Target 20 000 project manager, Mr Ralecha Mmatli urged those who would benefit from Target 20 000 to take their studies seriously rather than spending time on leisure than academic work.

He said students should understand that their monthly allowance was not a salary.

He further said sponsorship was given as a loan and that if one breaches his/her contract with the government by failing, they were expected to pay back the loan.

He said courses have been categorised and that upon completion students were expected to pay back the loan depending on the category of their course of study, adding that some courses were 100 per cent grant while some were 50 per cent grant.

Students were also encouraged to supplement their BGCSE with Botswana Examinations Council because some students performed poorly as such do not meet the cut off points. ENDS