THE government has been warned that should they exclude youth opinions in decision-making they would be sitting on a time bomb.

According to Kagiso Ntume of the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) "in most historical revolutions it was the young people who started the movement towards change." He also said that youth organisations that are in existence only encourage a lot of head nodding and do not accommodate the youth opinions at the macro level.

He was speaking during a debate at the ongoing 'Upfront and Personal-Three Decades of Political Graphics from the UK and Southern African Political Graphics Exhibition' yesterday.

The debate entitled 'Young People, Capable Leaders, created today for tomorrow...' was the last public debate of the exhibition. The panel consisted of young members from the (BNYC) who tabled views on how and why youth in Botswana are not included at national decision making levels on issues that affect them. In Botswana the youth account for a great proportion of the population, but are either underrepresented or not represented at all.

According to the 1991 and the 2001 population censors readings, youth account for 70% of Botswana's population.

Government officials who are seen to be clinging onto positions of power and do not give young people a chance to show their potential received the brunt of these concerns.

Dingaan Lenong of BNYC called for radical activism when he spoke about shortcomings in the country's education system. He said that there is a single flow of information in a classroom situation which is seldomly interactive. He lamented that this method of teaching and learning creates a pitfall for young people when they leave the school situation. Lenong added that the problem is not only found in schools, but also at home.

"In our culture children are not allowed to talk back when they are being scolded by an adult. This breeds a certain attitude that makes them think that they should take everything at face value and not question matters even when they know there are wrongs," he said.

Lenong indicated that the economic set up is no different because young people are not given the opportunity to explore their full potential and use it to compete in business ventures. Access to information is another factor that Lenong highlighted as a weakness that hinders the development of responsible young citizen.

On the other hand Tumi Thahane of BNYC said that youth can be their own worst enemy. She referred to the moral disintegration of young people indulging in excessive alcohol drinking, and casual and intergenerational sexual relations.

"Parents should be models of morality and hence youth would follow suit," she emphasised.