Botswana must encourage innovation and creativity - Molefhi
Bonte Seepi | Wednesday August 17, 2016 16:03
Officially launching the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) week on Monday, Molefhi said science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers facilitate the resolving of complex problems of today’s world and its future. He labelled STEM careers as both challenging and fun, thereby encouraging the youth to invest in them.
This year’s STI week is held under the theme; ‘Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics: Our Future Diamond’.
The minister said that currently, people are decrying lack of jobs though most STEM related jobs are outsourced. He said the future policies should emphasise on public and private technology procurement, which requires a new product to be developed and build capacity, hence creating opportunity for more job openings. He revealed that the 2015/16 World Economic Forum report reflected an unimpressive outlook for Botswana as out of 140 countries the country ranked 102 and 109 respectively, for capacity to innovation and for availability of scientists and engineers. He said the size of Botswana’s population should not be a deterrent to increased innovative capacity as other countries like Sweden are doing well with small populations.
He stated that government is aware that investment in research and development is a long-term endeavour with dividends only realised after decades as opposed to just months for most development investments.
“Since our country’s population is skewed towards the youth, there is need to develop relevant skills to prepare youth in Botswana for employment in requisite professions. Hence STEM education because it is a means of making people creative or innovative and productive,” said Molefhi. He therefore, emphasised that conditions for nurturing an innovative mindset and facilitating STEM competencies must be established in primary and secondary schools and advanced at universities. He said globally countries are repositioning themselves to cash-in from harnessing science and technology.
Molefhi said there is evidence that maintenance of a competitive edge in this area requires a lot of investment in human capital development especially at the grassroots. He said countries that are excelling in technology development continue to nurture children and young people’s interest in science and technology.
He said investment in promotion of science at a tender age has boosted scientific literacy amongst the youth in such countries. He said, as leaders of tomorrow, the youth who are still energetic and creative and should be considered as the next generation of researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs. According to the minister, the youth represent a latent power that is gradually being released worldwide at differing localised intensities to revolutionise the world through science, technology and innovation. He said as such, youth must be afforded an opportunity to experience science first hand as well as design programmes and resources to help revitalise their potential.
“Globally, the engagement of children and young people in STI deepens their understanding of Science and Technology in society. SADC member states should therefore be commended for deciding on this initiative of the STI week in 2008,”he added.
Furthermore, Molefhi hastened to dissipate the myth that creativity is based on academic intellect, but that it is dependent on the right mindset. He said: “There is no special formula for being creative, as such everyone is legitimately an innovator. Youth need to understand that they need to have faith in themselves and their ideas and work very hard towards its achievement and keep being persistent regardless of the opposing forces.”