30 Nov 2017

Member of Parliament (MP)  for Mmathethe-Molapowabojang, Dr Alfred Madigele says it is crucial to revolutionise the education sector.

Contributing to the State-Of-Nation-Address, he said it was important to understand the major reforms or transformations  that Education and Training Strategic Sector Plan (ETSSP) would bring to the education sector.

“ETSSP is a five year medium term strategy 2015 to 2020 designed to comprehensively and fundamentally transform education from pre-primary to tertiary level,”

Therefore, he said that ETSSP  should be given attention since it focused on creating multiple pathways in the education sector.

He also said government should strengthen the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sub sector because it has a potential to broaden the employment scope.

He said it was high time problems besieging the sector were given the utmost attention, including the negativity.

Dr Madigele, also a Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology  said there was a tripartite arrangement with the Botswana Chamber of mines and a German organisation to assist in the technical competency based programmes.

“We have seen a lot of success in that people who are doing mining related programmes like rigging and folk-lifting were doing well. These are the programmes where you have to prove your mettle and have a lot of exposure in to the industry,” he said

Thus, he said partnering with such organisations had ushered in a new hope that there was improvement in the sector.

He said there were plans underway to partner with a consortium of motor dealers who had solutions that were contemporary and could be used to repair vehicles.

Dr Madigele said his ministry was also developing a sponsorship policy to come up with ad-hoc solutions with answers as to what to sponsor and which criteria to use.

He further said a lot could be done regarding broadening the scope of beneficiation in the country, citing the use soda ash to create employment opportunities.

Additionally, Dr Madigele said government should tighten screws for several government programmes for better results.

He further said the Ministry of Health and Wellness should come up with innovative ways to ensure essential drug availability in health centers.

“The availability of essential drugs is not pleasing and I guess the use of ICT technologies may assist in ensuring monitoring of availability of drugs,” he said.

MP for Boteti West, Mr Slumber Tsogwane, like other MP’s praised President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Ian Khama’s leadership saying  Khama’s quest for productivity in the country had brought  changes such as the flagship programmes to eradicate abject poverty in areas that were affected most.

He called for adequate resourcing for the  Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to enable it to undertake economic development at local levels.

Currently, he said  ministry was unable to make impact despite the fact that it was entry point to sustainable development initiatives.

He said there were lots of opportunities at local levels that needed adequate financing.

He therefore called on government to strengthen the informal sector to boost economic activities at districts.

He further updated Parliament that projects funded under Constituency Fund were delayed as some were still at tendering stage while some had already started.

“I wish to allay public fears that the Constituency Funded projects were still on course,” he said.

For his part, MP for Molepolole South MP, Dr Tlamelo Mmatli said it was government’s responsibility to facilitate job creation.

He said most young people were looking up to government for job opportunities, which was a  tendency  that was likely to  breed poverty.

Dr Mmatli further said he was worried by low academic performance. He said it was high time government introspects as to whether the current automatic promotion to junior and secondary schools was still relevant.

He also complained about unavailability of drugs in health centres, calling for improvement of such. BOPA