New MoESD programme on course

Mpho Mokwape | Thursday November 26, 2015 17:41

 

But many are skeptic of the programme dubbed ‘Upskilling and Upscaling’. The plan is to absorb unemployed youth into different institutes of higher learning for different courses ranging from one week to 36 months.

The ministry’s public relations officer, Silas Sehularo told Mmegi yesterday that registration was already in full swing and that only 5,000 unemployed youths would be absorbed during this financial year.

He confirmed that many would be absorbed into the programme each financial year until the targeted number was reached.

“The programme is not meant to take the 20,000 youth at a go as that would mean overspending what has already been allocated, but each financial year more will be absorbed until the target mark is reached,” he said.

Sehularo said since registration started many have shown a lot of interest, meaning that an overwhelming number has already applied.

He maintained that like any other job application or school admission application, the criteria set would be used to select all those qualifying.

Reasonably not all who apply will pass through, all will have to go through the screening process and those eligible and reaching the criteria would be taken into different institutions.

Quizzed on budget allocated for the programme, Sehularo said at the moment he would not divulge such information saying he would have to inquire with the team tasked with the programme.

The ministry introduced this initiative through a public notice inviting all unemployed youths to submit applications for the identified training programmes under the project, in the months of November and December.

According to the ministry the expected target is 20,000 for youths who can complete the programme before the age of 35 years.

Around 23 institutions have been listed to absorb aspiring youths, among them the Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA), Roads Training Centre, Botswana Accountancy College (BAC), University of Botswana, IDM, Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), New Era College, Limkokwing University, ABM College, GIPS and Botho University.

 

A Mmegi online snap survey, however, revealed that many have more questions than answers about the programme.

 

Tsaone States Jnr Moseki:

After Upskilling where will we work? Or Government will create another factory for creating job opportunities.

 

Lawrence Dintwe:

They are trained, then what? Any employment guaranteed?

 

Vanessa Balekodi:

Taking large numbers of people to school while there are no jobs, it’s confusing.

 

Kopano Copper Kopano:

Go tshwana fela le jaaka go kile gatwe part time jobs, kae re e teng.

 

Bweib Gee Nvr Mynd:

The government is after the 2016 pillar ya an educated and informed nation, ke eng a isa batho dikolong a palelwe ke go create ditiro? Madi a mantsi gab a itse gore ba ka dira eng ka one.

 

Daniel Kobe:

Better than namola leuba. They can always use distance learning to add to this.

 

Rragwe Laurin Karabo:

It is good the problem is that 20 000 is not enough.

 

Goleba Twiggy Balekodi:

Half a loaf is better than nothing.