HRDC shifts focus to technical & vocational education
The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) this year is intentional and focused on ensuring that negative perceptions about TVET that has over the years discouraged students from enrolling in technical colleges is a thing of the past.
This year’s theme of the annual Skills Fair and Career Clinics 2025 scheduled for March 24 to 28 is, ‘Leveraging on TVET to transform higher education in Botswana: Diversifying the economy through youth skills development.’
HRDC CEO, Professor Alinah Segobye says in as much as they want to encourage and motivate young people who are about to join tertiary institutions, especially universities, there is a glaring gap in attracting them to TVET institutions.
The main gap, in her view is that those that do not attain the 36 points and above and are not eligible for government sponsorship are somewhat left behind. Even young participants from last year’s edition expressed concern about this critical omission.
This in their view, was demonstrated in the kind of higher education institutions that come to the Fair to exhibit, being mostly public and international universities that target students who attained 36 points and above.
“We intentionally chose a theme that will reflect this niche population of those who get 36 points and below, who would have traditionally been seen as destined for technical colleges, brigades and other such institutions,” she said, adding that their weakness has been not intentionally showcasing what those that attain less than 36 points can do.
“We have been discussing and engaging with TVET institutions like Francistown College of TVET, Oodi College of Arts and Technology and others across the country, we found out that there is a thriving population of young people who are training in artisanal and technical fields who are doing well, but they are not showcased as much as those who go to universities, we tend not to give them publicity,” she said.
She told the media on Wednesday that one of the reasons they anchored the annual fair on TVET this time around, is as a result of the realisation that TVET, vocational education and training is somewhat misunderstood, and often neglected as a career choice for young people.
She is further disturbed by the fact that this misunderstanding does not only plague young people and secondary school leavers, but also parents, guardians and policy makers, who do not appreciate opportunities in the area of technical and vocational skills development, which can become a career choice that is sustainable and can provide livelihoods.
Currently, a Draft Policy has been presented before Cabinet for consideration. This Policy, once approved will further empower HRDC to implement robust programmes around TVET, according to her.
In addition, Prof Segobye told Botswana Guardian that the Policy would hopefully address the disparity between what is provided for students in terms of allowances for example, for TVET institutions and those in universities.
“As announced by Assistant Minister of Higher Education, government is addressing this issue,” Prof Segobye said.
In addition, the Policy is anticipated to address the historical gap that along the way caused the TVET sector to be neglected, in recognition that this sector has potential to create the much-needed jobs, especially for young people.
Further, that the Policy will speak to an emerging challenge of human capital development in TVET institutions. “Trainers who should be training in TVET is an area that we need to pay close attention.”
She emphasised the need for continuous training, upskilling and retooling of TVET trainers so that they are up to date with the knowledge they impart, as well as the technology they use.
She said as they await the finalisation of the Policy, HRDC will be pushing for the right trainers for education content to ensure that they are ready to mass train. She stated that currently, Brigades and Technical Colleges have limited capacity to absorb human capital.
The Policy will also highlight the need for TVET institutions to align with industry to ensure compatibility and prevent skills mismatches.
Prof Segobye revealed that their partners in the Ministry of Higher Education, the CITF also have been engaging with various youth groups to train them in rapid skills development and highlighted other models for training young people in skills that are critical.
With government’s commitment to rapid infrastructure reconstruction across the country, including providing housing, construction, mining, roads, communications, among other skills, Professor Segobye is confident that these skills will be in demand, and they are not attained through university education.
HRDC hosts the Skills Fair annually to close a gap from when young people complete their secondary school to when they want to make decisions on what they want to study at tertiary.
“We provide this platform where we enable young people to be counselled and given an array of information regarding career opportunities that are open to them, and that match their passion and inquisitiveness.”
In the process, Professor Segobye believes that the exposure enables students to narrow down their career desires to two or three courses.
“Hopefully by the end of that process the Department of Tertiary Financing will be able to award them a scholarship to go and study,” she said, adding that there is additional support in between the choice making process so that young people are able to take courses that will match their passion, competitiveness so that once they start, they do not find themselves wavering and wondering whether they have made the right choice.
While the Skills Fair targets secondary school leavers, Professor Segobye says HRDC casts its net to even lower classes. In an effort to prepare young people, the HRDC looks at the whole education ecosystem from as early as three years old.
“This is where we start the conversation that children can be exposed to technology, learning materials, knowledge products that can help them develop in anticipation of the choice they will make later in life,” she said.
She said the HRDC Tertiary Education Statistics Report highlights that a lot of young people do not make it to tertiary education because the preparatory steps have not been adequate.
“It is critical that young people are adequately prepared for the world of work as early as possible.”
HRDC supports schools by working with teachers; BOTEPCO also helps in ensuring that teachers are part of the process of career guidance and training for schools.
The hope is that they will bridge the gap between the HRDC and advise government on policy and those who deliver the content in schools, curriculum development and ETPs to ensure that young people are prepared for industry.