02 Jun 2021

Two students from Botswana Accountancy College (BAC) have won the 2020 Vision 2036 research paper competition.

The two, Ms Dintle Lobatlamang and Ms Kelello Stephens, who are studying for bachelor’s degrees in international finance and banking, were announced on Tuesday by Vision 2036 chief executive officer, Mr Christopher Molomo. 

He noted that the council had invited research papers in which participants were requested to explain what a knowledge-based economy was in the context of Botswana Vision 2036.

 He said the vision council had extended the research paper competition to locally based undergraduate and graduate students.

Mr Molomo also said the work of the competition winners would be published as part of the Vision 2036 council commemorations.

In addition, Mr Molomo said the winners would also have the opportunity to present their research papers to President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

He said it was done in recognition that President Masisi has been driving the transformation of the country to a knowledge-based economy.

Mr Molomo said the vision was the agenda of Batswana, and that it was through science, technology and innovation that the country could be propelled to high levels of efficiency to support socio-economic development.

One of the adjudicators, Dr Naledi Kgolo-Lotshwao, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Botswana, said over 20 entries were received under the undergraduate and master’s categories.She said all the research papers were put through the anti-plagiarism scanner, and that 12 passed the test to qualify for final adjudication.

She said the adjudication team looked at the content, originality of the work, clarity of the work and the overall impression of the research paper among other things.Dr Kgolo-Lotshwao highlighted that two candidates under the graduate and masters degree category were found to have high plagiarism content, hence they were disqualified.

Each of the two winners pocketed P5 000 for their efforts. ends