Africa-Press – Botswana. Sweeping reforms to the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to ensure that curricula meet real-world demands were unveiled at this year’s annual conference of the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) in Maun recently.
Speaking before an audience of industry leaders, educators and policymakers, the Minister of Higher Education, Prince Maele, emphasised that TVET holds “the key to a resilient and thriving tourism sector”, hence the government is determined to position it at the centre of Botswana’s economic future.
Skills and jobs alignment
Maele outlined a vision for stronger collaboration between educational institutions and tourism enterprises aimed at ensuring that TVET curricula meet real-world demands.
“Such partnerships ensure that TVET programmes remain relevant, incorporating the latest industry trends and technological advancements,” he said before singling out digital literacy as an urgent priority.
With online bookings, marketing and customer service now deeply digital, TVET programmes are being updated to include modules on digital skills. “Professionals must be adept at navigating digital tools,” Maele said.
Stigma
The minister noted how crises like COVID-19 revealed the importance of rapid upskilling and reskilling. “TVET plays a pivotal role by offering opportunities for workers to acquire new competencies swiftly,” he said, citing examples like hotel staff learning advanced booking systems or tour guides pivoting to domestic tourism.
While celebrating the role of TVET, Maele acknowledged persistent challenges such as underfunding and public misperceptions. To address this, his ministry is prioritising investment in TVET infrastructure, launching public awareness campaigns, and expanding online access to training.
“We want to dispel the stigma that TVET is for those who have failed their secondary education,” he said, announcing a significant increase in student allowances – from P300 to P1550 and P1950 for on- and off-campus students respectively – to boost enrolment.
Low productivity workforce
The government is also finalising a National TVET Policy that will serve as a blueprint for delivering an industry-ready workforce. “We are acutely aware of the low productivity of our workforce, including negative feedback from visitors on customer-facing services,” Maele admitted.
In a new initiative, TVET Centres of Excellence clustered by industry and region are to be established. To that end, the gateway to the Okavango Delta, Maun, will host the first Tourism and Hospitality Cluster that will be pioneered by Maun Secondary School.
“This cluster will serve as the crucible for competency-based, world-class training,” Maele explained, adding that it will elevate Botswana as a regional leader in tourism skills development.
TVET pitso
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Higher Education is organising the country’s first-ever TVET pitso as a national consultative forum to engage stakeholders on the future of skills development.
“We are serious about ensuring that TVET becomes the foundation of resilience, sustainability and shared prosperity,” Minister Maele said.
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