Graduands urged to make entrepreneurship a priority
Isaac Pinielo | Wednesday February 1, 2017 17:30
In fact, influential leaders who recently attended a workshop dubbed ‘the Business Intervention’ at the University of Botswana (UB) raised serious concerns about the scarcity of jobs, while appealing for a change of mindset from the graduands.
Delivering a keynote address, specially elected legislator and renowned economist, Bogolo Kenewendo stated that entrepreneurship presents the best solution to unemployment in the country. “Job creation has become a major priority for our government, which is why it is at the top of the table at the Office of the President,” she stated.
To contribute to this endeavour, Kenewendo said both graduands and graduates should explore emerging opportunities for entrepreneurship and offer solutions to the country’s unemployment.
She also implored the graduands to desist from making entrepreneurship their fallback plan, which only comes when other avenues have failed. “If you have an idea, start working and focusing on it now. There is no point in being an entrepreneur and doing it half-heartedly,” Kenewendo said.
She noted that while the government provides free quality education for the youth, the country is battling with high levels of unemployment, as the job market cannot absorb all graduates.
With a staggering 20% unemployment rate, in a population of just over two million, the country is struggling to secure jobs for thousands of youth.
In the face of this next-to-nothing job opportunities in the country, Kenewendo said solving the problem will not only require action across the public and private sectors, but also for graduates to create entrepreneurial activity that will lead to a decrease in the level of unemployment.
She told the graduands to not only explore the local market but also strive to explore the regional market, adding that the country has made numerous regional trade agreements, which graduates could capitalise on as entrepreneurs.
“Do your market research and explore opportunities that are at your disposal both locally and regionally,” Kenewendo said.
The director of youth at the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, Lawrence Ookeditse said the government, in its effort to curb unemployment, has come up with empowerment programmes aimed at promoting active participation of youth in the socio-economic development of the country.
“At the ministry, we offer funding under the Youth Development Fund, with a fund ceiling for individual applications of P100,000. Funding is in the form of 50% grant and 50% interest-free loan,” he stated.
He said with this funding, graduates could come up with business ideas that can be solutions to unemployment.
“Entrepreneurship should actually start from university while you are still young so that you get the chance to make mistakes and recover,” Ookeditse said.
In addition, he said, graduands and graduates should think positively and avoid believing that things are impossible, as that would put a damper on their hard work and innovation.