Africa-Press – Botswana. Vocational training centres play a significant role in the country’s economy, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Jimmy Opelo has said.
Addressing the Public Accounts Committee on August 2, he said as a responsible ministry for labour and employment matters, they believed such training schools would bridge skills gaps, by ensuring that the market was supplied with industry ready personnel meeting the demands of the evolving industries.
“Vocational training schools can help address the challenge of unskilled individuals in the country by producing a skilled workforce. This workforce can then meet the demand for skilled workers in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and information technology, among others,” he said.
To accomplish the goal, Mr Opelo said, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development through the support programme for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) was currently developing a policy geared towards enhancing vocational education.
PAC chairperson, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi advised Mr Opelo to focus on the TVET programme, emphasising the need to upgrade certificate and diploma programmes in vocational training.
He suggested that the introduction of degree courses was necessary to encourage students to enroll and consider vocational programmes as prestigious as university education.
Addressing other concerns, Member of Parliament for Thamaga/Kumakwane, also PAC committee member, Mr Palelo Motaosane, raised the issue of labour exploitation in the construction industry.
He pointed out that workers were often hired without contracts and underpaid, resulting in exploitation.
Mr Motaosane also noted that unemployment persisted because some individuals would rather remain unemployed than face exploitation from employers.
He urged the labour ministry to regulate these labour-related matters.
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