11 Apr 2017

The annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) festival taking place in Francistown ends on April 12.

Officiating opening the festival on April 10, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Dr Theophilus Mooko said the festival sought to transform Botswana into a knowledge-based society.

He described the festival as a clear demonstration of the ministry’s collaboration with various institutions to show its commitment to the nation’s development.

For her part,  Francistown city mayor, Ms Sylvia Muzila said that STEM festival intended to reach out to children in Francistown and surrounding villages, adding that it was essential for learners to be steered in the right direction to show them that they had talents and potential that could be used to create employment for others.

She further said that it had been a worrying concern in the city of Francistown that majority of the youth in the city ventured into the entertainment and arts industry, commenting that the STEM festival came at the right time in Francistown to diversify youth’s thinking.

Business Botswana regional manager for North, Mr Kebaabetswe Bogatsu said Business Botswana had partnered with Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BUIST) in this initiative to nurture learners in the science and technology industry in order to see where the industry met classroom education.

“The only way our children can learn to manufacture their own inventions is by us motivating them to become innovationists,” he said.

Giving an overview of the STEM festival, vice chancellor of BUIST, Professor Otlogetswe Totolo said that it was crucial that Botswana invested in ensuring that scholars were interested in the sciences, adding that it was upon entities like BUIST to ensure that the interest in sciences was rekindled and retained. ENDS