Business Botswana Meets Minister of Higher Education to Strengthen Collaboration

19 Feb, 2025

Business Botswana’s Higher Education Sector, led by President Mr. Neo Nwako, paid a courtesy visit yesterday to the Minister of Higher Education, Honourable Prince Maele. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the organisation to the Minister and reaffirm Business Botswana's commitment to collaborating with the government to facilitate a private sector-driven economy.

In his briefing, Mr. Nwako highlighted Business Botswana's role as an Employer Organisation, Chamber of Commerce, and Business Representative Body. He emphasised that the organisation’s advocacy efforts are focused on ensuring a favorable business environment for domestic and foreign investors, ultimately driving economic growth and creating sustainable jobs. Mr. Nwako also appealed to the Minister to revive the Sector Level Consultative Council (SLCC) meetings, which are important in helping the sector develop a higher education system that can attract international students, export to global markets, and address administrative issues in a timely manner.

During the meeting, Dr. Tiro Mampane, the sector representative, requested the Minister’s intervention on several pressing issues, including the delayed appointment of the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) Board and the accreditation of programmes. Dr. Mampane noted that institutions aim to offer competitive programmes aligned with market trends, which would contribute to job creation in line with the government’s goals.

In his response, the Minister assured Business Botswana that the issues raised would be addressed to support the sector. He also expressed his willingness to arrange a follow-up meeting to discuss other pressing matters with representatives from both parties