16 Nov 2016

Botswana Meat Commission (BMC) chief executive officer, Dr Akolang Tombale, says the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) gives students chance to translate theory into practice when engaged in projects.

Addressing Bobonong Brigade Centre students during the prize giving ceremony recently, Dr Tombale said the centre had made inroads in achieving the TVET model and as such learners should  be focused on education because the country and the world were in need of the skills that could support the economy.

Dr Tombale stated that for the past 40 years, the country had been trying without success to diversify the economy hence need to offer relevant and critical skills through TVET. 

The BMC CEO said the country was also faced with unemployment of graduates and trainees and challenged the Bobonong Brigade Centre students to create employment for others upon completion of studies rather than look for it because the training had armed them with requisite skills.

He was concerned that many skills companies around the country especially garages were dominated by foreigners although such skills were readily available within the country from local institutions.

Dr Tombale added that Botswana was a small economy with a population of slightly over two million people but should never behave as if the nation had 40 million people by closing its economy but should produce quality service in order to beat nations with huge population.

At BMC, he said the company has realised that it competes with nations with some countries with over 200 million cattle while Botswana has only two million cattle but was able to compete globally in the beef industry because it produces quality beef to attract foreign markets.

To parents the CEO advised them to rally behind students and instructors to ensure that learners get  motivated in their studies.

Dr Tombale donated P10 000 towards the development of the centre.

Earlier the brigade’s principal Ms Masego Morima said as of August 2017, the institution would start a semesterisation   process and as such there would be no intakes at the beginning of the year.

Ms Morima said as part of the rationalisation process, the centre would become a college with the introduction of courses such as painting, finisher and cabinet making and plumbing.

The centre she stated that has a student population of 207 with a capacity to enroll 309 students and has a potential to host a level of National Craft Certificate (NCC). BOPA