Growth of human capital key to economic growth
The Soweto uprising as colloquially known is the key root of the day of the African Child as 10, 000 students protested Apartheid government in 1976, which resulted in a massacre as they demanded quality education.
The events of this day are well portrayed in the popular story of Sarafina. It was in 1991 the Assembly of heads of state and government of the AOU then, instituted the day of the African child.
This year’s theme is ‘ 30 years after the adoption of the Charter: accelerate implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children’. In the context of the agenda, the sixth aspiration speaks to quality education to every child.
This calls for stock taking and dedication towards unpacking challenges that are faced by youth in Africa. Amongst other hindrances and barriers that young people encounter, there is need to highlight the value of education and access progression by far.
Education is the best economic policy and remains an important weapon to resolve the fight against ignorance, poverty, diseases as well as a driving force towards sustainable development goals. The Botswana government has over the years formulated policies that support education and to accelerate change.
The first educational policy in Botswana, Education for Kagisano was in place from 1977 to 1993 which then exchanged the baton with the Revised National Policy, later was the National Development Plan of 2009- 2016. Since 2015, the 5- year Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan ( ETSSP: 2015- 2020) was implemented as a platform for reformation and enhance improvement on education. Schemes continued to be financed through the government budgetary process, student placement and the opening of BUIST in 2011 and Medical School at UB. However, the ETSSP did not introduce any innovations as it represented an extraction of previous policies.
In the 2021 budget speech a sizeable amount of approximately P2.26 billion was directed towards education, National Service Scheme at P135.72 million, Youth Development Fund at P104 million, and Internship Programme at P98.83 million, to mention a few.
However, the integration of the education system into the productive labour system falls short due to adequate skills and significant youth unemployment in Botswana. The perspective of investment in education has been very fruitful but employment opportunities have an adverse social consequence, options for economic policy and an educated nation without leveraging on the market economy is just a pot plant at the window of prosperity and growth.
As the world is moving towards the fourth industrial revolution and digitalisation, it is important for the education system to be reviewed, reformed, and aligned with today’s climate. There must be synergy among stakeholders and the corporate world on how to marry the curriculum and employable skills in the labour industry. As the world propels forward, Botswana needs to produce internationally competitive graduates ready to harness the digital space, and robotics periphery. Upskilling prospects with the right skills required in the labor market industry since education informs the constitution, to change policies and close gaps. The accumulation of human capital is the determinant in economic growth.
The change of tone could also be a driving force towards Botswana National Implementation Plan for Sustainable Development Goal ( SDG- Education 2030).
Education is the best economic policy and remains an important weapon to resolve the fight against ignorance, poverty, diseases as well as a driving force towards sustainable development goals. The Botswana government has over the years formulated policies that support education and to accelerate change.