Gaborone — SADC education and skills development sector recognises the importance of human development and challenges facing the region.
Speaking at the 17th IDM Botswana, Lesotho and eSwatini joint graduation ceremony in Gaborone recently, Assistant Minister for State President, Mr Dumizweni Mthimkhulu said industrial development and poverty alleviation could be addressed through education.
He also said SADC countries were committed to improving access to quality higher education, which was illustrated by enrolment rates of about 25 per cent which was superior to the sub-Saharan averages of nine per cent while Botswana stood at around 20 per cent.
Minister Mthimkhulu also said the region's employment and labour sector had noted the mismatch between the strong SADC economy and unemployment rates, particularly among the youth.
He said it was the responsibility of higher learning institutions such as IDM to rise to the challenge and play a meaningful role in developing and offering programmes that would improve access to quality higher education.
He said rapid advancements in technology had forced institutions of higher learning to refocus, adapt and embrace change in order to stay relevant, adding that the fourth industrial revolution was upon them hence they needed to adapt and innovate.
"Change is an inevitable aspect that we will all experience throughout the stages of life," he said.
Minister Mthimkhulu said rather than to view change as a threat, graduates should look at it as an opportunity for self-improvement, adding that they required a mindset change to embrace change.
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He said preferring to remain in their comfort zones could lead to stagnation. The key to opening endless possibilities, he said was embracing mindset change and becoming a winner and who never got discouraged.
He applauded IDM for producing talent needed to grow SADC economies, saying many of the great minds in various sectors of the economy were products of the institution.
In his remarks, IDM regional director, Mr Samukelo Lushaba said decisions made in boardrooms and Parliament would give the girl-child as well as the boy-child a better future with employment opportunities.
He said graduates were equipped with the right skills and attitude to step into the new world.
He said how they used the skills and competencies would define the future professionals they inspired to be, adding that they would look at them proudly as their alumni.
BOPA
