Addressing Skills Mismatches Through Quality Education
Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA), participated at the 2nd Annual National Youth Employment Forum at Tlotlo Conference Hotel. Held under the theme "Tackling Youth Unemployment Challenges: Innovative Solutions from Think Tanks,"
The Authority played a pivotal role at the forum, represented by Ms. Letlhogonolo Paulo, Manager of Communications and Public Relations. In her address, Ms. Paulo highlighted the Authority's commitment to fostering a quality education system that aligns with the country’s labor market demands, ensuring students are equipped with relevant skills for sustainable employment.
The forum commenced with a keynote address by Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr. Jimmy Opelo, who represented Minister Hon. Anna Mokgethi. Mr. Opelo outlined several initiatives spearheaded by the Ministry to tackle youth unemployment. He acknowledged that while strides had been made, addressing graduate unemployment required a coordinated effort between policymakers, educational institutions, and employers.
In her presentation, Ms. Paulo reiterated the Authority's critical role in ensuring the relevance and quality of Botswana’s education and training system. She emphasised that the gap between the skills employers require, and those job seekers possess remain a significant challenge.
“Our mandate as the Authority is key to addressing the quality of education and the issues of skills mismatch, which create challenges for young people who aspire to penetrate the job market,” she stated.
Ms. Paulo further explained that BQA’s quality assurance processes ensure students graduate with qualifications that are both nationally and internationally competitive. These efforts aim to reduce the disconnect between education output and labor market needs, enabling young people to secure meaningful employment.
Additionally, Ms. Paulo noted that BQA collaborates with sister organisations including Human Resource Development council (HRDC) to support the government’s vision of transforming Botswana’s education system from a supply driven model to a demand driven one. This shift is essential for aligning training outputs with market needs, ultimately creating more opportunities for young people.
One of the key projects highlighted during Ms. Paulo’s presentation was the ongoing development of Norms and Standards for higher education. The project aims to ensure that Botswana’s higher education system is responsive to the country’s human resource development needs and global economic demands. “This project is pivotal to our mission of creating a robust education system that equips learners with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a competitive global environment,” Ms. Paulo explained.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Paulo emphasised that improving education quality is a shared responsibility. She expressed confidence that through collaborative efforts, Botswana can overcome the challenges of youth unemployment.