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BOTSWANA EDUCATION HUB 04 December 2013 Labane E Mokgosi Director, Botswana Education Hub
BOTSWANA EDUCATION HUB
04 December 2013
Labane E Mokgosi
Director, Botswana Education Hub
} 1. Introduction and Background • Education Hubs • Botswana Excellence Strategy • Botswana Education Hub } 2. Botswana Education Hub Programmes • Study in Botswana • Top Achievers Scholarship Programme • Adopt a School Initiative • Partnerships and Investment in Education and Training } 3. Niche areas for Investment in Education and Training } 4. Conclusion
q Education Hubs q Botswana Excellence Strategy: ◦ Economic diversification and sustainable growth ◦ Botswana Education Hub
q Botswana Education Hub objectives: • to make high quality education, training and
research key aspects of diversification; • strengthen capacity of existing institutions and
attract new providers and attract international students.
• (Vision and Mission)
BOTSWANA EDUCATION HUB
Botswana will be recognised internationally as a preferred destination for international
students, scholars, and trainees. The Education sector will be vibrant contributing to economic diversification and sustainable growth.
To position Botswana as a regional centre of excellence in education, training and research through the
provision of a competent national human resource skills base in areas required for economic diversification and growth.
Excellence, Partnerships, Innovation, Internationalisation, Entrepreneurship.
SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE HUB § All levels of Education from pre-primary to primary, secondary, vocational, tertiary; § On the job training; § Open and distance learning; § Lifelong learning; § The Education Hub office facilitates, coordinates and plays an advisory role to implementing agencies and the Ministry in terms of establishing Botswana as an Education Hub. It does not take over the work of the Ministry or other agencies.
CURRENT KEY PROGRAMMES § Top Achievers Scholarship § Adopt a School Initiative § Study in Botswana § Investments and Partnerships in Education and Training
Top Achievers Scholarship Programme was introduced in 2010/11:
• 19 exceptionally talented secondary school leavers (6A* or better) placed in 2010;
• 30 students were placed in 2011 from a target of 50;
• For 2012, 42 students (Category A – 6A*) have been placed in tertiary institutions abroad;
• Also for 2012, 48 students (Category B – 4/5A*) have been placed locally for A-Level and IB.
• For 2013, 42 Category A students were being placed in tertiary institutions abroad, making a total of 132 students placed overseas;
• Also for 2013, 67 Category B students have been placed locally for A-Level and IB. 113 students in all.
Objectives: } To mobilise resources for funding education
and training (≥132 organisations have adopted >200 schools at a value of ≈P190m)
} Foster more understanding of the school system
} Strengthens school programmes and curricula } Creates a sense of involvement and
collaboration among all stakeholders (community, private sector and the schools)
} Support internationalization of education and training in Botswana;
} Market Botswana education outside the country; } Support other economic Hubs and sectors of the
economy with skills; } Attracting international students and scholars through
generic marketing of local institutions internationally; } Grow international capacity of local institutions &
internationalising curricular at all levels; } Build up priority areas and strengthen niche areas at all
levels in consultations with local players.
Achievements: } Education expos and Fairs to Namibia, Swaziland,
Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa. } International students – about 258 in 2009/10 to
1248 as at October 2013. } Revenue generated from these is – P81m } Growth of local institutions in quality and quantity
Challenges } Student accommodation } Institutional capacity
} Facilitate leasing of under-utilised institutions to local and international education providers;
} Attract new investors in education & training; } Attracting new providers locally and internationally; } Promoting partnerships between local and international
institutions; } Review and reform barriers to investment in educational
services.
NICHE AREAS IDENTIFIED FOR THE BEH In promoting Botswana as a leading educational destination, the following niche areas have been identified: § Business and Management; § Hospitality and Tourism; § Medical Science and Research; § Mining and Energy; § Agriculture and Livestock Management; § Veterinary Science; § Conservation and Environment; § Peace and Justice; § Democracy, Governance and Economic Management.
BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT Opportunity: • Botswana as a preferred destination for business and management education, generally associated with MBA or related business degrees and qualifications up to and beyond 2016.
• Establish a credible business school that will appeal to a wide variety of African students in the business manager/leader development industry. Investor’s options include: 1. Establishing a venture with the investor’s own or an alternative brand name. 3. Establishing a business school as a Botswana brand, in association with the investor. 5. Developing a Botswana business school with an exit option after a period of time.
HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM Opportunity: Concept and Objectives
• A gap exists between the standards, knowledge and experience demanded by the tourism industry. There is therefore a need for a facility that trains all levels of staff, i.e. groundsmen, waiters, housekeepers, launderers, supervisors, guides, managers.
• A project could be a Photographic Safari Tourism Training
Lodge in Maun. It will among other services, provide practical and theoretical training of the highest order to students.
MEDICAL SCIENCE Opportunity: • An opportunity exists for training in medical and health
science research. A Medical Research and Training Institute is required to provide clinical research and laboratory skills training.
• Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Harvard School
of Public Health Aids initiative are already located in Botswana. These provide opportunities for strategic partnerships to establish a centre of excellence in the training of health care workers in research skills.
• A world renowned research institute will satisfy regional medical research requirements for evidence-based policy formulation. SADC Member States share common health problems.
• There is a growing global interest in research in TB, HIV/AIDS and malaria. Training in this area is attractive to regional and international students.
MINING AND ENERGY Opportunity: • Mining, in particular Diamond Mining, is one of the sectors
that give Botswana a comparative advantage and thus competitive in meeting the highest international benchmarks.
• Energy, and the growing importance of renewable energy
are of strategic importance to Botswana and the SADC region, and hence the need for investment in developing new technologies for power generation to run primary schools, rural health clinics, local government facilities, rural businesses and households.
1. Establish a Technical School of Mining and Energy taking into account the needs and socio economic realities of Botswana and other African countries.
• The project to be a regional mining and energy centre. • The school to produce quality technicians. • The school to contribute towards transforming the
country from a resource-based economy to a private sector and innovation led economy.
• The school will reduce current expenditure on external training as well as addressing local and regional skills needs.
AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT
Concept and Objectives: • Positioning Botswana as a centre of excellence in post-
harvest technology and food quality research training through the establishment of a high quality credible training institution. (Post-Harvest Technology and Food Quality Research Institute). The institute to offer programmes in:
1. Post-harvest technology for crops and animal products. 3. Food quality studies research (Research into food safety and quality. 3. Technology for the processing of non-food products. Training to
cover processing of natural fibres (cotton, sunflower) for oil and fibre.
VETERINARY SCIENCE Opportunity: • Institution offering specialist training courses for
veterinary surgeons and students in the restraining of African animals, including chemical immobilisation.
• Courses designed to attract local, regional and international veterinarians and veterinary students.
• Rationale for restraining to include wildlife disease treatment and control, wildlife trans-location, etc.
CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENT Opportunity: • To utilise Botswana’s considerable experience and
expertise in sustainable development and integrated natural resources management to establish a Centre for Advancing Sustainable Development (CASD). • Masters degree in Sustainable Development. • Short course(s) in:
Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) and Sustainable Development for decision makers.
PEACE AND JUSTICE
Opportunity: Establish a Centre for Peace and Justice to cover: - Continuing and in-service programmes for personnel in the Justice
area. - Continuing and in-service programmes for Judicial Officers and
lawyers in the areas of human rights, transitional justice, transformative justice, dispute resolution mechanisms, securing system reform, etc.
- Management of special professional examinations, such as Bar examinations, notary public examinations, conveyancing examinations etc.
- Conferencing services in the human rights, peace and justice areas.
DEMOCRACY, GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMIC
MANAGEMENT Opportunity: • Creation of a regional and continental organisation - The
Democracy, Governance and Economic Management Institute to cover: - How aid may be effectively managed. - Adopting NEPAD approach to achieving new partnership(s)
with the donor community. - Effective management of elections and Independent
Electoral Commission (IEC) capacity building. - Management of natural resources in a democratic manner.
Contacts:
Lucky T Moahi Labane Mokgosi C o o r d i n a t o r D i r e c t o r, M a r k e t i n g a n d
Business Development Email: [email protected] [email protected] Botswana Education Hub Ministry of Education and Skills Development Private Bag 005 Gaborone, Botswana Tel: (+267) 367 4540 | Fax: (+267) 310 5865
THANK YOU
