25 Aug 2022

Private sector participation in research and development is important to propel the country’s economic growth driven by knowledge and services created thereof. 

Speaking during the launch of the national science week in Masunga on Tuesday, Minister of Basic Education and Skills Development, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe said his ministry would continue to work with various stakeholders to ensure an increase in the uptake of education and training at various levels with a deliberate emphasis on, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

“My ministry has been mandated to ensure that Batswana have the requisite skills that transform them into a productive workforce not just for the domestic market but also for the global economy,” he said.

Dr Letsholathebe further said his ministry's mandate was to produce a competent human resource as the country moves toward realisation of the national vision 2036.

“Botswana has defined her development path to transform from an upper middle-income country to a high-income country by 2036, therefore a clear path for the development of human capital is essential to provide direction towards the realisation of this vision,” he added.

Dr Letsholathebe said the vision clearly stipulated that human capital played a critical role in the development of the economy and that investment in it could be used to produce human resources that drive growth across the economic sectors.

He said his ministry had established relevant structures and developed policies and programmes that sought to drive this essential part of the vision.

On other issues, Dr Letsholathebe stated that the North East region was already contributing to the economy of the country through production of millet, sorghum, beef, and horticultural products.

He said there was a need to embrace the whole value chain brought about by the Morula project, particularly its drink and jam adding that universities and research institutions were ready to help achieve the goal.

He said the people of the North East District had been preserving their food in different ways that include such Mpale, the dried sweet melons.

“Let us improve on these ways and embrace technology to enhance them. Even the way we use herbs to heal our illnesses, let us open up with the scientists to help us refine them, we can patent the ideas as individuals or groups so that we continue to benefit from them,” he added.

Dr Letsholathebe also urged Batswana to take advantage of the current ICT infrastructure provided by government to schools to benefit the rural populace with digitisation of production systems including indigenous knowledge systems.

“We need to access our production system in various sectors, identify and develop skills that are relevant to achieve within the context of our cultural values, climate and environment,” he added.

Dr Letsholathebe further indicated that in an endeavour to improve access, relevance and quality of education and training, government was working on several instruments and programmes, amongst implementation of multiple pathways to respond to the global move towards the fourth industrial revolution and skills development.

This also includes provision of ICT equipment and platforms at basic education level for teaching and learning.

He said the development of an e-education policy would also facilitate increased access to programmes and services offered through e-education to improve quality, equity and affordability of the same across the country.

Dr Letsholathebe stated that government continued to develop medium to long-term reforms in education such as upskilling teachers and improving infrastructure at primary, secondary, vocational and technical education levels, as well as provision of necessary equipment and funding at all levels including tertiary.

The  minister said as the country continued to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects at lower levels, it would lay a good foundation for research and innovation at universities and workplaces which were vital for knowledge creation.

In his welcome remarks, Deputy kgosi Thabo Monaga of Masunga called on parents to play their role in the education of their children, especially in Science and Mathematics based subjects.BOPA