01 Nov 2017

Although Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays a pivotal role in national development, it is still viewed negatively by the public, says  Assistant Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Fidelis Molao. 

He said the negative perception  discouraged youngsters from pursuing programmes offered by such institutions.

Officially closing a three-week Human Capital Development workshop on TVET college management on Tuesday, a partnership between German Cooperation and government, Mr Molao said the nation shunned and did not look at vocational education in a positive, and  instead regarded it as a second choice education option.

 “TVET does not excite children and we should ask ourselves why,” he said.

He said it was through partnerships and initiatives that the ministry could create a revolution and attract the youth to go the TVET way.

The institutions, he said, should be given a look that would attract the nation and curb stereotypes associated with them.

He said the mindset of the community and all stakeholders about vocational education being the second option should be changed.
Mr Molao noted that the country was faced with a ticking time bomb of unemployment, especially among the youth, and that TVET could play a significant role in employment creation through the technical skills offered.

He said TVET was expected to provide training opportunities and career advancement avenues for school leavers as well as providing skilled manpower needed at all levels of the economy.

He assured participants that he took a personal interest in the TVET sector and that he would be working with management to revolutionise the sector since, saying it was upon them to make TVET what it ought to be in the economy of the country.

Mr Molao urged participants to make the most out of what they learnt from the workshop and adopt a new culture of doing things.

Maun technical principal, Mr Edwin Seitshiro said the workshop was as a robust, interactive and educative platform from which they learnt a lot and shared ideas.

He said it gave them insight on issues of communication, motivation and delegation.

He added that issues that were sometimes perceived to be small made an impact, saying collectively a lot could be achieved.

Another participant, Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education and Training principal, Mr Asalepele Tobedza pointed out that public perception could be changed, but stated that enabling strategies should be put in place for TVET to play a meaningful role in diversifying the economy.

He said the low enrolments that were experienced by the institutions were because of the shortage of skilled training staff and lack of resources.

In response, Mr Molao stated that the ministry was aware of the issues facing the department and that they were being looked into and that monthly progress meetings would be conducted to address issues. BOPA