There is need to urgently strength technical skills and vocational training, but technical colleges nationally face challenges such as skills mismatch and resource shortages that hinder student success, threatening the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) future.
In a recent site visit to Maun Technical College, Member of Parliament for Maun West, Caterpillar Hikuama acknowledged the urgent need to strengthen technical skills and vocational training in the region, especially given the presence of mining activities.
He pointed out that if TVET programs were properly developed and aligned with industry demands, the high unemployment rates among local youth could be significantly reduced.
“With the mining sector right here, there is a huge opportunity for our young people to gain practical skills that translate directly into jobs,” he explained.
Hikuama stressed that well-established vocational training would not only empower youth but also support economic growth, adding that addressing this gap is essential to curb the ongoing challenges of unemployment in the community. Maun Technical College (MTC) Principal, Pono Saubi revealed that MTC currently faces an acute shortage of teaching personnel.
“Our welding and fabrication learners are awaiting progression, but they are currently at a standstill because we do not have qualified teachers to run the program. It is crucial that the government acts quickly to resolve this issue so our students can continue their education and build on their skills,” she said.
She further shared that the college has currently engaged a temporary teacher for the programme but her contract is expiring at the end of June, yet students are supposed to take their examinations in November.
To mitigate the crisis, the principal said that the college had proposed the engagement of retired teachers on a temporary basis to ensure continuity. However, bureaucratic bottlenecks and policy rigidity continue to slow down such interventions.
“We want to generate income for our school to facilitate developments and maintenance—buying machinery and equipment that we can afford—but our current policy does not allow us to make income,” Saubi lamented.
For his part, Head of House in the Department of Automotive at MTC, Silver Pego said that lack of essential resources and machinery has also negatively impacted the quality of training.
“There is a huge lack of resources and equipment which limits our delivery when it comes to teaching our learners. We had been receiving support here and there from council who availed their cars to be used for demonstration but we need a consistent flood in of cars for practical lessons,” he said.
Hikuama reassured that efforts are still underway to push for a policy shift aimed at transforming Botswana’s education landscape, especially in the TVET sector. He emphasised that the government recognises the critical role institutions like MTC play in national development.
“We are actively advocating for education systems that are responsive to both learners’ aspirations and industry demands,” he stated.
He noted that while change may seem slow, conversations are ongoing at the policy level to expand program offerings, improve infrastructure, and build capacity through recruitment of qualified teaching staff. Hikuama encouraged MTC not to lose hope, adding that the ultimate goal is to create an inclusive and progressive education system where students are not left behind due to underdeveloped programs or lack of opportunities for advancement.
