18 Mar 2014

A South Korean delegation supporting the Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR) project will be conducting training for technical and vocational education and training staff from Gaborone Technical College, Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Maun Technical College.

This will be in a form of workshops conducted during the week of April 7. The tripartite project between South Korea, Botswana and UNESCO would develop curricula to provide skilled graduates for the hospitality and tourism industry.

The director of technical and vocational education and training, Mr Peter Choto, said the project would transform Botswana’s tourism industry because it was one of the drivers of economic diversification.

Mr Choto said as a UNESCO member, Botswana would be provided with expertise to develop technical and vocational education and training to reach an international level.

The project coordinator of UNESCO Botswana, Mr Raymond Doherty, said although the aim of the project was to update existing curricula in hospitality and tourism, there was need to look at driving efficiencies, improve the use of colleges and maximise return on investments for Botswana.

Mr Doherty said the project would maintain the quality of skills expected by the industry in Botswana through implementation of equipment and programme delivery such as internet and mobile learning, video cameras to capture practical courses and guest lectures.

To date, 30 companies are involved in the development of the progammes; 18 members of staff have been trained on labour market analysis and the development of a curriculum methodology; 12 organizations are involved in education and tourism to assist and support the project; and three colleges are involved in this programme.

South Korea has provided experts from the Korean Research Institute of Vocational Education and Training to work with Batswana experts, lectures and staff from the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to develop new and updated programmes for the hospitality and tourism Sector.

Mr Doherty said the higher diploma programmes to be implemented would be colonary arts, tourism management and hospitality management.

Key indicators of this four-year project include students in satisfactory employment six months after graduation increased, 100 formal agreements for training between businesses and training institutions has been signed by the end of this project and number of students trained under new programmes is increased by 10 per cent each year.

Apart from Botswana, the project will take place in Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and Zambia. ENDS