01 Sep 2016

It is important to create an enabling environment by giving learners quality education and encourage them to shift from being employed and let them know that they also have a role to play in the economy, says Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) director, Dr Andrew Molwane.

Addressing different stakeholders from various sectors during the Learning and Development conference in Gaborone on Wednesday, Dr Molwane said in addition to people creating jobs for themselves, “we need to have effectiveness in using resources.”

He said practice and exposure will also help the mindset of learners, saying learners have to keep pace with developments.

Dr Molwane emphasised that nowadays people cannot run away from technology, but rather have to use it in learning, development and on the knowledge based economy as it is centered on human resource, easy access to information, effective systems, effective leadership and speed in decision making.

For her part, Knowledge Resource South Africa research manager, Ms Karen Ferguson said Botswana is doing much better than its counterparts in Africa as the country is ranked number 77 in the world in terms of quality education.

She explained that skills provision must be labour market related and future oriented. “We need companies to invest in demand driven human capital supply,” she said.

She explained that the mis-match of skills is high in the country and as a result there is high number of unemployment among graduates.

ENDS