02 Feb 2025

The new Botswana seeks visionary leadership that gives Batswana opportunities to realise their dreams.

Speaking during a familiarisation tour of Oodi College of Applied Art and Technology (OCAAT) on Friday, Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe  also the Minister of Finance said government was creating a new Botswana that espoused a society where individuals, companies and government realised their dreams of living a better life.

He commended the college management for their commitment and visionary leadership in making sure that students were trained and equipped to become professionals that could take Botswana to greater heights.

The Vice President said he had a passion for Botswana to refocus the future and he desired that the passion would become the culture and tradition for government systems.

He said the future of Botswana needed all to have a vision as it played a critical role in achieving their dreams, adding that the vision had to be accompanied by knowledge and strong character.

Mr Gaolathe said OCAAT had the hallmark of the above-mentioned despite several challenges that the college was facing.

“It gives me great joy for people to know where they want to go,“ said the Vice President, adding that

leaders were sent to break down barriers or walls that hindered people from achieving their dreams.

The Vice President further said the new administration was serious about technical and vocational education.

Mr Gaolathe added that he would like to see the college add to their vision a strategy to make a jewellery city in Botswana, where the youth could come together and sell their jewellery.

He said through that the college could add to youth employment by using its technical and vocational skills for economic emancipation.

Mr Gaolathe, who is also the Minister of Finance, assured the Minister of Higher Education, Mr Prince Maele that even though the budget was still tight, the determination and commitment to pursue a complete paradigm shift was certain.

He commended Minister Maele for his passion in technical and vocational education and his determination to turn things around in the sector.

In his remarks, Mr Maele said Oodi college had great potential to turn the economy of the country around if given due attention.

“The college can have a significant impact in our quest to improve the economic outlook of our country in respect to higher education,” said Minister Maele.

He said the intention of the college as per their vision was to empower through training communities around the Bobirwa area and other parts of the country to make a living out of the semi-precious stones (agates) found in the area.

He said he embraced the college’s effort to preserve the traditional skills found in the country in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) by transferring skills to the youth.

Minister Maele said the college presented to him during his visit a budget of over P54.5 million for the provision of equipment and setting up of the new diploma programmes throughout their training departments.

“Oodi college is a gem and if given an opportunity, it can contribute significantly to the economy of our country through our talented children turned entrepreneurs from skills and knowledge acquired from this institution,” concluded the minister.

When giving an overview, the college principal, Mr Edwin Seitshiro said their primary mandate was to go into the community and identify talent that people could use to change their economic status.

He said their role was to identify the talent, refine it, modernise it and give it a global outlook for it to be competitive in the market.

Mr Seitshiro said lack of resources and financial constraints hindered them from achieving their vision, adding that the state-of-the-art facility that was established in 2012 had to be put to good.

He added that among the challenges that the college had were obsolete information, communication and technology equipment that needed to be replaced without delay and the need for modern software. ENDS