28 Jan 2019

A business seminar organised by Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) students has been hailed as a stimulant for students to appreciate opportunities that could widen their business intelligence and entrepreneurial network.

Speaking during the official opening of BIUST Student Business Society two-day seminar in Palapye recently, Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Moiseraele Goya said the initiative would prepare students to the world that awaits them after completing their studies.

He said life after university was challenging and required learners to be equipped with entrepreneurial skills that would enable them to run their business after completing their studies. He added that entrepreneurial skills were incorporated in the education system.

“The government wants to deliver a 21th century student with effective communication, entrepreneurship and innovative skills. These skills are called survival skills and without them in the modern era, it will be tough to navigate the world and prosper,” he said. He noted that the country was developing a national transformation strategy to unlock potential in its human resource, adding that students were part of the human resource.

Mr Goya noted that the BIUST Students Business Seminar was in line with the national transformation strategy, and that it would be underpinned by the national value system that would promote the spirit of entrepreneurship and commitment to development.

He said entrepreneurship was important because the country was not yet industrialised, and urged students to create sustainable industries that would address key issues such as poverty and unemployment.

 “Think of creating your own businesses which would create employment for your fellow Batswana. Do not be job seekers rather job creators. The time is now to start pondering on feasible business ideas,” he said.

Earlier on, BIUST Vice Chancellor, Prof. Otlogetswe Totolo commended the organisers of the seminar which was hosted under the theme: Jump start your entrepreneurial journey, saying in hosting and supporting the initiative, the university was playing its role of driving Botswana towards a knowledge-based economy.
He said as espoused in Vision 2036, Botswana envisaged to be a high-income country with an export-led economy underpinned by diversified, exclusive and sustainable growth driven by high levels of productivity.

Prof. Totolo said such could be attained by developing a robust knowledge-based economy, human capital, ease of doing business and competitiveness, infrastructure development, and most importantly, through a vibrant informal sector and micro enterprises.

He urged participating students and the community to make use of the university’s Centre for Business Management, Entrepreneurship and General Education in order to capacitate themselves and find ways and means of being a new productive business-oriented generation.

For his part, BIUST Students Business Society president, Mr Nkosinathi Joseph said he saw it fit to create a business club that would encourage entrepreneurship among students as well as exposing them to the professional standards and practices of the business industry.

Mr Joseph said through the initiative they supported students that had already taken the step of venturing into business despite the pressure and challenges they faced as tertiary students.

“We called different sectors to give students insight regarding company registration, tax laws, PPADB registration, and we had also invited young successful business owners in our country to share their experiences with students,” he said. Ends