Africa is on the verge of entering a new reality in which human potential will become the major agent of economic growth. Consequently, there arises an urgent need for African nations to spur their human resources, particularly the youth wing, into action towards a diversified growth and development.

Over the years, Botswana has prospered through the exploration and exploitation of its mineral resources (especially Diamond). According to the 2001 Population and Housing Census, young people in Botswana account for 38.4 per cent of the national population. By implication, the nation has a wealth of human potentials as much as its natural resources, hence the need for the Government to prioritize the mobilization of these resources by improving the overall management of the youth sector.

Since its member States’ couldn’t meet the demands of the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations reaffirmed its commitment to accelerate the achievement of the internationally-agreed goals.

Millenium Development Goals

Basically, the June 2012 Conference was intended to draft new plans “to ensure the promotion of economically,socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet and for present and futuregenerations”(UN, 2012).

 Among other things the government of Botswana must address regarding the employment and empowerment of its young people with respect to the Post-2015 MDGs, these require urgency, exigency and prioritization:

• Responsive Educational Curricula: In tackling the problem of youth employment in Botswana, there’s a need to address the root cause. Many academic institutions are devoid of ultramodern standards capable of stirring young people’s entrepreneurial acumen. This is evident in many dimensions; chief among them being the academic curriculum which has little or no relevance in 21^st century work environment.Government must ensure that the curricula of educational institutions are reformulated to boost vocational trainings and meet 21^st century labour market demands.
• Cultivating Entrepreneurial & Leadership Traits: There’s a limit to the number of jobs the Government can create. Therefore, young people must be provided with an enabling environment where their entrepreneurial spirit can improve national productivity. Compared to previous years, Botswana has slightly declined in Monetary, Business, Labour and Investment Freedoms(THF, 2014), and this should call the Government back to the drawing board.
• Incorporating Youths Into Policy-Making:Among other middle-income developing nations, Botswana has suffered setbacks because young people are often sidelined in policy and decision-making. Young people should actively involve in making decisions that directly affect their collective future.

In addition, the Government of Botswana must also put its young population at the center of its monetary, fiscal, exchange rate, and FDI policies, among others.

In order to fast-track the nation’s achievement of the Post-2015 MDGs, the Government of Botswana must see beyond Diamond and prioritize youth-oriented policies. Consequently, the enabling environment should be created for young people to discover, develop and deploy their creative ingenuity to aid employability, especially by fuelling job creation and entrepreneurial activities.

Bibliography

Europaid. (2013, March 1). Defining Our Post-2015 Pathway. Retrieved August 22, 2014, from European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/millenium-development-goals/post-2015_en.htm

THF. (2014). Index of Economic Freedom. Retrieved August 22, 2014, from Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org/index/country/botswana

1. (2012). The Future We Want. Post-2015 MDG (p. 1). Rio de Janeiro: UN.

Adeniruju Adedapo Treasure is a creative writer, leadership Enthusiast, and Social Commentator. He’s a sharp-thinker and effective communicator with a lifelong interest in self-development, youth empowerment and social transformation. Treasure is ever willing to make a positive difference for someone, somewhere and somehow. He’s the current editor of www.teamreflector.org and he tweets via @TreasureNGA