15 Nov 2016

The acting President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi, has called for popularisation of research throughout National Development Plan (NDP) 11.

Debating the draft NDP 11 programmes and projects under the economy and employment thematic working groups, Mr Masisi called for well laid foundations or enablers of research, methodologies, sequence and content of what needed to be learnt to create and grow research culture and competence in the country.

“I call for robust plan on research and steps to be undertaken so that there is growth, including familiarising legislators with research” he said.

Mr Masisi, who is also MP for Moshupa-Manyana, said there should be deliberate planning for research because the country had limited competing resources, which should thoughtfully be selected in order to realise efficiency.

Mr Masisi said research institutions were scattered and needed to be orderly for them to maximise efficiency.

He said it was critical to identify indicators of research to determine what to do with research, so that there could be priorities.

MP for Mmathethe-Molapowabojang, Dr Alfred Madigele said research was critical in the puzzle for continuity to develop the economy.

He said more was needed with respect to basic, applied research and product development and commercialisation.

Dr Madigele, who is also the Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, said it was important to properly strengthen and harness research provided for by various research institutions.

He said there was need to establish a body to coordinate research and science innovation in institutions such as BIUST, BITRI, UB and NFTEC for realisation and achievement of economic development.

“We need to develop a national agenda that will harness all these, for us to go to the next level of economic development” he said.

Dr Madigele called for exploration of newer technologies in research in order to improve the manufacturing part and applied research.

He also said indigenous knowledge system was also critical to research, adding that the level of innovation was still lacking and that more resources should be channelled towards that.

“More efforts like establishing a research fund should kick start so that we can be able to create jobs, and diversify the economy and also preserve our cultural heritage,” he said.

Dr Madigele further said e-Gov was pertinent with regards to issues of data base management. 

He said recovery of loans remained a serious problem with regards to locating people who were working, so that they may pay government.

He further said Botswana Innovation Hub was important with regards to start-ups in manufacturing, which he said it was important to increase funds geared towards the institution in order to diversify economy and create more jobs.

MP for Palapye, Mr Moiseraele Goya said unemployment, poverty and income inequality were some of the challenges that NDP 11 should address.

Mr Goya who is also assistant minister of basic education said establishment of Human Resource Development Council has assisted government in assisting students as to which programmes they should undertake that were marketable as well as to address the problem of skills-mismatch.

He said this was also meant to turn around the country’s education and training system from that of a supply-led into a demand driven system.

He also said the splitting of ministries that deal with basic education and tertiary education was a step in the right direction. 

MP for Boteti West, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said infrastructure development was critical as the basis for sustainable economic development.

He said lack of infrastructure at rural areas has failed most projects due to terrains that are difficult to negotiate.

He said evaluation and monitoring of projects was also important because this would address issues of opportunity costs due to delayed projects or cost overruns.

He said Batswana should also play role in diversifying from the mineral-led economy. 

Mr Tsogwane said private sector should be strengthened and that water sector should be improved through ground water exploration.BOPA