IDM launches centre for local governance

Lebogang Mosikare | Wednesday October 31, 2018 09:25

Permanent secretary in the office of the President and ESP coordinator Goitsemang Morekisi cutting the ribbon to symbolise the official opening of IDM Francistown PIC: KEOAGILE BONANG

Speaking at the event, IDM’s regional director Richard Malikongwa said Francistown offers IDM a strategic opportunity for growth as it endeavours to provide education and skills to its customers.

“Our vision at IDM is to become a preferred service provider of education, training, consultancy and research. IDM has found it relevant to increase our presence in this city as it anchors very well with regions such as Central, Bobirwa, Chobe, Tutume, North East as well as Ngamiland where we always wanted to take our services to. As an institution designed to support the government’s skills gap, IDM also plays a very important role in supporting the national goals of bringing services closer to the people,” Malikongwa said.

Malikongwa said the Francistown campus opened for business in 2014 with an enrolment of 35 students, but it currently has an enrolment of 566 students involved in day, evening and block release modes of deliveries, a great leap, which challenged IDM to find space to accommodate the students.

“Additionally, IDM absorbs international students as far as Zimbabwe and Namibia as part of our regional growth plan, which seeks to penetrate the rest of Africa…It is against this backdrop that the institution’s leadership took a decision to partner with Botho University to move to where we are today,” Malikongwa said.

Malikongwa also said that through their collaboration for many years with the United Kingdom based University of Bolton, IDM has identified possibilities of co-delivering a Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Accountancy programmes to the northerners in Francistown.

“This will be a first for IDM to offer programmes at a centre based in the north. University of Bolton is known to offer quality assured programmes that have benefited many graduates in Botswana over the years,” said an ecstatic Malikongwa.

The IDM local board chairperson Naledi Mosalakatane said that the new facility will give the students a breath of fresh air.

“The facility that IDM and Botho University have availed to you will give you a proper learning environment required by a university student. It is our wish as IDM that you work hard and make great academic accomplishment and personal achievements that will forever be cherished by your families who continue to be your pillars of strength. Today it is also a defining moment for our local government authorities who look forward to offer a programme meant to elevate their potential and improve their leadership abilities,” Mosalakatane said.

The permanent secretary in the Office of President and Economic Stimulus Package (ESP) coordinator Goitsemang Morekisi said that as they work towards making Botswana a knowledge based economy, players like IDM and Botho University who focus more on collaboration than competition are needed to ensure that that purpose is achieved.

“The role of tertiary institutions is critical in taking our economy forward. They assist government in driving the national agenda through provision of skills that are competitive and relevant… I am particularly excited that institutions such as IDM have recognised the importance of developing young people. Young people carry our hopes for a better world. They are our hope into the future,” Morekisi said.

Earlier on when welcoming guests, the mayor of Francistown Sylvia Muzila commended IDM for choosing Francistown as their strategic location in enhancing education to support government efforts to turn Botswana into a knowledge based economy.

Muzila said that for a long time local authorities were facing challenges in delivering their mandate bestowed on them by the electorates.

“IDM has developed a product that will see rigorous training of councillors, council administration, tribal leadership including Dikgosi. I want to applaud you for paying attention to the needs of your customers. The Centre for Local Governance you are about to launch is precisely what the doctor has prescribed for local government authorities. Our councillors will indeed feel more honourable coming out of the training programmes you have developed,” Muzila said.