20 Aug 2013

Botswana Public Service College (BPSC) aims to train public officers in line with competencies to enable them to deliver services to the nation.

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the college and Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL) on August 16, BPSC executive director, Dr Theophilus Mooko said the MoU covered three areas of capacity building, programme exchange as well as usage of institutional facilities.

He said BPSC facilities were in Gaborone only whereas BOCODOL was spread throughout the country; hence that would enable BPSC to reach all the public service employees spread across the country.

For his part, the executive director of BOCODOL, Dr Daniel Tau, said the signing of the MoU was a culmination of lasting discussions that had taken place between the two institutions.

Dr Tau said BOCODOL was currently in a transition to a university status whilst BPSC on one hand had over the time provided extensive education, training and executive development services to citizens of Botswana in general, but more specifically, public service workers during its years as Botswana Institute of Administration and Commerce (BIAC).

He said both institutions were therefore endowed with experience and expertise of varying types and levels that had the potential to benefit the economy of the country more than it is the case now. He stated that the potential could undoubtedly be actualised only if they worked in unison for mutual benefit and to achieve a common purpose.

Dr Tau said the MoU should thus serve as a vehicle for the realisation of the common desire of the two institutions to advance education, training and related pursuits, all with the aim to enhance the global competitive of the nation through the provision of competent human resources.

He said the MoU more specially provided for cooperation in capacity building for the public service and other ends as may be determined and agreed by both parties from time to time.

He said signature seeks to reduce silo mentality characteristic of the systems and the mushrooming of self-centered training entities that can only be sustained at a cost hardly justifiable for the small economy such as that of Botswana. ENDS