07 Mar 2021

Brigades and technical colleges have been encouraged to continue building and shaping learners’ value system to impact the effective entrepreneurship culture that Botswana seemed to lack.

The encouragement came from Minister of Employment, Labour, Productivity and Skills Development Mr Mpho Balopi, when addressing a brigades and technical colleges virtual graduation ceremony recently.

Mr Balopi further encouraged the institutions to work towards playing a key contribution towards Africa’s social and economic development.

He reminded the graduates that the country was facing a myriad of challenges such as youth unemployment exacerbated by the advent of COVID-19.

“However, as a resilient nation and with your newly acquired skills, I am confident that we will overcome these challenges and achieve our dreams and aspirations,” he said.

He reiterated government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and in the process create jobs, particularly for the youth.

The minister congratulated brigades and technical college 2020 graduates for their well-deserved academic success.

Minister Balopi applauded the class of 2020 for their commitment and focus which he said enabled them to reach the end mark.

For his part, the ministry’s acting permanent secretary Mr Claude Mojafi called for expeditious transition into a knowledge-economy where social entrepreneurship would be used as an engine for growth.

Today’s economy, he added, would not be dominated by manufacturing but by knowledge-based social entrepreneurship.

“Your education does not end today, it is rather the beginning. Dedicate yourself to the pursuit of excellence and use this to bring change to Botswana,” Mr Mojafi said.

This year’s graduation saw Mr Tebogo Tsuaneng snatching the best overall award, an honour given to a student who has demonstrated overall academic excellence during the course of his/her studies.

Other good performers in different categories also received awards.

The ceremony was held under the theme, Skills Development: The pillar to Botswana’s Economy in the midst of COVID-19’ #myhandsmyfuture.ENDS