05 Feb 2018

Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo says rationalisation of brigades is the answer to all their challenges.

Minister Mabeo said this when addressing staff members of Boteti Brigade in Letlhakane recently.

He said he was aware of all the challenges experienced by brigades, and that his solution was on the rationalisation exercise.

The approach, he said, should be holistic, adding that government’s plan was to eventually outsource brigades and have capable institutions rent them out and transform them.

He said Boteti as a mining area should be offering mining courses to enhance job creation, noting that labour productivity, employment and skills development were intertwined.

Mr Mabeo said the syllabus followed in brigades should be able to produce job-ready graduates, adding that vocational training was needed to boost the economy.

He said in the pursuit of rationalisation Botswana Qualifications Authority was working with the ministry to ensure that reviews could be done.

Satellites campuses, he said, would be established across the country.

He noted that there were currently 35 brigades and that four other brigades would be added to the existing ones.

The minister was responding to concerns raised by staff representative, Mr Mogaleemang Mwezi, who had complained that there was shortage of accommodation.

He called for subsidised rentals by arguing that accommodation in Boteti was expensive due to the mines in the periphery.

Mr Mwezi also complained that machinery and equipment were obsolete, and he requested for an increment of student allowances because of the exorbitant rental fees.

He complained about the quality of the curriculum developed by  Madirelo Training and Testing Centre.

Another member of staff, Mr Onneile Opaletswe said the government should consider the quality of training by institutions when outsourcing.

Another member of staff requested on the job training for lecturers, and also suggested that there should be quality assurance for examination questions, expressing discontent with the quality of examinations by awarding institutions.

Mr Babaki Ndebele suggested that borehole mechanics students should go up to NCC level. ENDS