09 Sep 2018

Botswana Qualification Authority (BQA) acting CEO Ms Selebo Jobe has urged workplaces to offer training to employees for quality customer service.

Speaking during Technical and Vocational Education and Training Providers workplaces transition consultation workshop on September 7 in Gaborone, Ms Jobe defined quality as a system that does not happen once and also needs teamwork.

Ms Jobe said training of employees could give out the best services to clients, adding that customers were good marketing tools.

She said the interaction and experience of customers at the workplace would determine how well the organisation would be marketed by customers.

She pointed out that good interactions of customers with employees would build a good reputation for the organisation as some people would be referred by customers for the excellent service.

Giving a comment on the transition, she encouraged workplaces to provide BQA with feedback in order to ease the transition.

Since BQA was transiting from Botswana Training Authority (BOTA), Ms Jobe said BQA understands the need for continuous engagement with concerned stakeholders for a smooth transition.

She added that transition demands regular review of tools and instruments and the process demands consultation noting that the forum was designed for feedback.

“Change is not easy and we need to update each other on achievements and challenges and collectively come up with mitigating strategies,” she said.

The success of the transition, she said, rested upon all key players.

She said her organisation saw the need to engage international experts to ensure international competitiveness, relevance of qualifications and portability of the awards.

Giving an update on the transition, acting director quality assurance, Mr Vincent Molefe said BQA was expected to coordinate the education training and skills development quality assurance system for General Education (GE), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Higher Education to ensure lifelong learning.

Mr Molefe said BQA being challenged by lack of experts to support the accreditation and validation they resorted to getting experts from the SADC regulators and engagement of professional bodies.

He added that continuous professional development of BQA staff to facilitate the new system also met the challenge.

Mr Molefe pointed out that only two workplaces had been registered and accredited out of nine submissions.

Botswana Ash and Training and Water Utilities Corporation Training Centre were applauded for having completed all the stages. Ends