Skills Development and Tertiary Education Financing Under the Botswana National Human Resources Development Strategy (NHDS2009-2022)
Botswana set out the National Human Resource Development Strategy (NHRDS) in 2009 to drive economic diversification and transform the economy from a resource dependent to a knowledge driven economy. The Human Resources Development Council (HRDC)was established through the Human Resource Development Council Act of 2013. The mandate of HRDC is to undertake planning and funding of human resources development in the country. This study was undertaken through interpretive desk research where data was collected from the reports available on the HRDC website and other publications. The study sought to assess the strategies which were implemented by HRDC to advance skills development in the country and the achievements realized from the implementation of NHRDS from 2009 to2022. The study established that the HRDC established Sector Committees which identify and publish priority skills for each sector of the economy. Priority skills became the basis upon which qualifications and learning programmes are developed. The HRDC Fund, which is used to finance workplace training was also established under the NHRDS. The research also found that, through the implementation of the NHRDS, Botswana made considerable progress in strengthening the capacity of its tertiary education sector. However, tertiary education continues to be funded through heavy budgetary allocations every year, therefore the study recommended a relook into the tertiary education financing model used by the government.
