DR Unity Dow is Minister of Education and Skills Development
I believe we can all agree that what brought us to this comparatively prosperous place from the poverty of 50 years ago will not take us forward to greater prosperity in 50 years. The reason is simple, the path ahead is different, harder and globalised and more competitive.
New ways of doing things are called for. Mind-set change is a must and education is, must be, key to supporting, engendering and promoting this new way of thinking.
To this end the Ministry of Education and Skills Development has adopted a strategic plan that recognises two key principles: inclusiveness in education and diversification of education. These principles influenced the adoption by the ministry of the pilot project Target 20 000; a project aimed at upskilling youth who had, for whatever reason, not been able to remain in the mainstream educational programs.
I am a firm believer that every single child can be skilled in something, if we can just be patient, dedicated and committed enough to find out their talent or interest. I am also a firm believer that no matter how expensive education is, ignorance will always cost the nation more.
For things to change though and for us to move forward as a country,we need to be bold and brave to dare to do things differently. We need to realise
that in order to diversify the economy we must first diversify the education system.
My ministry cannot be the ministry of “the smart ones”; it must be a ministry for all; it must offer opportunities for every child to be educated and skilled in the area of his or her interest and ability. In fact we must challenge the notion or meaning of “smartness”.
As a country we need artists, bakers, chefs, dentists, farmers, innovators,
jockeys, lawyers, miners, nurses, oncologists, pilots, researchers, singers, thinkers, ventriloquists, writers, zoologists. We will not get Batswana with these skills if we don’t challenge ourselves to do more, to work differently.
Nine months ago, a great son of the soil, the legendary Socca Moruakgomo, approached me with a proposal – a bold and brave proposal. He offered to teach and to share his talent with the young talented individuals of this nation. Since his involvement in the staging and world tour of the now legendary musical Sarafina he had always dreamt of producing a world-class musical in Botswana.
He believed that a theatre company that would produce artistic masterpieces could well be developed and nurtured and would finally thrive. The mood around the celebration of our 50th anniversary of independence created the necessary environment for the flourishing of this dream.
As we discussed the proposal and considered the role of the artist in the economy, it became very clear to me that for the project to be credible, there had to be quality assurance. More dreamers were brought into the fold, amongst them BQA and Limkokwing University, and the performing arts program was born.
In January Socca and his team, with the full support of Limkokwing University, undertook a nationwide audition drive to search for the talented young people who would be pioneers of this highly unorthodox program. It is unorthodox because the question that was asked of the students was not “how many points did you get at high school”, but rather “can you dance?”
This question was asked in Jwaneng, Kang, Gantsi, Shakawe, Maun, Kasane, Tsamaya, Bobonong, Palapye, and Gaborone. From a pool of more than1 500 of those who auditioned, the finest 100 hopeful would eventually make up the chosen “Performing Arts 100”.
The “Performing Arts 100” was then divided into three groups producing three theatrical pieces: Moratiwa-An African Tragedy: The Musical, a story of family, loss and justice told in song and dance; Mantatisi: Warrior Queen of the Wildcat People, a tribute to one of the Batlokwa most remarkable rulers, it is a story of nation-building and self-pride; and Njambi Karungu… The Heavenly God. This story focuses on the migration of the BaMaherero Peoplefrom South West Africa (now Namibia) into Botswana.
These young people, who have been working hard for the past 6 months, will be graduating in October 2016. The first showing of the three productions will be during the gala dinner at the GICC to honour other young people who have made a big enough impression in their communities to be dubbed the 50 Change Makers under 40, as a snippet.
The full premiere will be on September 23 at Mantlwaneng Theatre, Westwood International School. Thereafter the productions will be resident at Mantlwaneng Theatre for a series of shows before embarking on an international tour.
Before January 2016, none of these talented young people would have imagined themselves plying their trade in front of a paying audience, let alone an international one, and yet here they are today, seasoned and ready to wow.
It is my pleasure and honour as the Minister of Education and Skills Development to have played a role in the unearthing, nurturing and supporting of this talent. If there is anything I have learned during my now not so short life, it is that travelling an unbeaten path will have thorns and barricades;one just has to learn to manoeuver around them.
It gives me unmitigated pleasure to introduce to you the Preforming Arts 100 as they present teasers from their theatrical productions. Enjoy their production, applaud their determination,celebrate their talent and wish them well as they fly the Botswana flag high and far during this year of our jubilee and beyond.
Let me also acknowledge another project that was at the result of yet another “unbeaten-path” enterprise – the Ideas, Products, Services and Partners (IPSAP) Conference. Last year, my ministry paused to listen to young innovators, creators, thinkers and yes, dreamers who dared to say that they had 21st century solutions to offer to the education system.
We take this opportunity to recognise the winners from that project and we have invited them here tonight to celebrate mind-set change, for this is what this two-day event is all about – imagining a different future for the young of this country.
To the 50 young individuals being unveiled as the 50 Change Makers under 40, bravo to you for the well-formed heart-prints you have left on those you have crossed paths with. May I take this opportunity to wish you a joyous and jubilant time as we count down to a celebration of Botswana’s 50th anniversary of independence.
Pula,
Unity Dow
DR Unity Dow is Minister of Education and Skills Development