08 Sep 2019

It is imperative for industry and educational institutions to have a symbiotic relationship, says Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane.

Officiating at New Era College of Arts, Science and Technology’s 10th anniversary, Mr Tsogwane said both educational institutions and industry had to clearly understand national priorities, which informed government development policies.

Both parties, he said, needed vital government input since  they moulded educational programmes, adding that government strove to facilitate economic growth through enabling policies that provided Batswana, especially graduates, with multiple economic opportunities.

The vice president noted that the college aspired to be a leading institution in the provision of quality education, research and training in engineering and technology.

“As government, we look forward to benefit from such initiatives that are geared towards making Botswana a knowledge-based economy as we move away from a resource-based one,” he said.

He said the theme of the event: Celebrating 10 Years of Distinctive Position in Engineering and Entrepreneurial, fully subscribed to government’s desire to create skills relevant to the country’s needs f.

Mr Tsogwane said the theme was clearly about fostering change and adaptation to new technologies that ensured a better life for future generations, adding that skills provided by the college  would serve as a benchmark for the delivery of the country’s Vision 2036.

He applauded government’s 2001 decision to reduce outward bound tertiary level learners in favour of in-country based education and training recalling that at the time government had appealed for private sector partnership in developing appropriate facilities as well as designing and delivering education and training programmes relevant to the country’s economic needs.

The vice president said New Era and other private education and training providers responded positively to that clarion call that was a clear demonstration of the private sector’s commitment to developing the skills of locals.

The college’s vice president, finance and administration, Mr Daroush Ghodrati, said among the countless memories of the past 10 years, the initial 2009 intake stood out as a major milestone.

The 30 students enrolled in that first intake, he said, were the first cohort of the college on its path of transforming the country’s engineering landscape.

Mr Ghodrati said the college was now recognised as a leading engineering and technology institution, with a complement of over 75 faculty members across five departments and nine programmes. ENDS