Technical vocational educational training (TVET) centers have emerged as pivotal tools to address poverty, empowering people with skills that support employment, financial independence, entrepreneurship and upward socioeconomic mobility. In Botswana, the government is actively promoting TVET to address high rates of unemployment among young people.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the unemployment rate among young Botswana is nearing 40%, with 52.1% of this demographic not engaged in any form of education, employment or training. Technical vocational education training centers in Botswana offer hands-on learning and prioritizes hard skills, creating faster routes into employment compared to a more general academic course. Programs target key industries such as engineering, construction, hospitality, business, agriculture, fashion and information and communications technology. However, historic barriers have proven hard to overcome.

Barriers to Vocational Training Education Centers in Botswana

About 26% of Botswana live in rural areas, making it difficult to access vocational training education centers in Botswana. Those from low-income families may struggle to afford the course fees. Technical vocational educational training has also long been hindered by the perception that it is less valuable than academic education and primarily intended for students who struggle academically.

But that is starting to change thanks to fresh government support for TVET programs and accompanying awareness campaigns. In April 2026, Parliament adopted the revised National Youth Policy, which targets five strategic areas: digital transformation, economic inclusion, STEAM/TVET education, AI innovation and rights-based empowerment. A Tertiary Education Students Sponsorship program now covers tuition expenses and provides a monthly living allowance (P2,200/$162) for eligible students, such as orphans or rural residents.

A Student’s Perspective

The Borgen Project interviewed Warona Baboloki Kabelo, who studies welding and fabrication at Maun Technical College. A typical day runs from 8:00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., and combines both classroom learning and practical workshop experience. His curriculum includes welding theory, technical drawing, engineering, mathematics and business enterprise.

“TVET has changed my life,” he told The Borgen Project. “Before studying welding and fabrication, I depended on other people to make or repair things. Today I have practical skills that allow me to solve problems independently.” In the future, Kabelo aims to establish his own engineering company, but his ambition doesn’t stop there: “I have an even bigger dream of helping develop locally designed vehicles. TVET gives young people the confidence and technical ability to dream beyond simply finding employment.”

Kabelo’s passion led him to found The Plug TVET, an advocacy platform dedicated to promoting TVET as a respected career pathway. “For many years, many people believed TVET was only for students who did not perform well academically,” he says. “I wanted to challenge that mindset.”

From Student to Lecturer: a Success Story

In an interview with The Borgen Project, Oagile Ompatile talked about his experience as a construction lecturer at Selebi Phikwe Technical College. It offers hands-on programs leading to a National Craft Certificate (NCC), covering courses in automotive mechanics, plumbing, carpentry, electrical installation, information technology, dressmaking and more. About 75% of the students here are male, though females account for the bulk of the textile and industry department. For many of these individuals, study is only possible due to governmental financial assistance.

“Many students are very much on their own financially. They only became interested in training when the government started providing a monthly allowance and covering tuition,” he explained. 

Ompatile points to himself as proof of the transformative power of technical vocational educational training in Botswana: “My family is not rich. I had failed my Junior Certificate [the national exam students sit at the end of lower secondary school, required for anyone wishing to pursue upper secondary education], and decided to do a trade certificate in plastering. After that, I began doing piece jobs.” When the government introduced an initiative sponsoring NCC holders for a diploma course, Ompatile jumped at the chance. He completed a diploma in architectural technology and secured an architectural post before going on to teach at Selebi Phikwe Technical College. 

Improving Lives

Today, Botswana has a number of public and private TVET institutions, offering certificate- and diploma-level programs. Among the larger public providers are Francistown College of Technical and Vocational Education, Gaborone Technical College, Palapye Technical College, Oodi College of Applied Arts and Technology, Maun Technical College, Selebi Phikwe Technical College and Jwaneng Technical College. 

Centers like these stand to benefit from increased government funding. The 2026/27 budget allocated P678 million ($49.9 million) under the Department of Skills Development to support skills training institutions and the coordination of TVET programs. A further P60 million ($4.4 million) will support the TVET Development Programme specifically.

Measuring the return on investment with TVET is extremely complex, and Botswana doesn’t offer any single quantifiable figure. However, the 2020 report by UNESCO and National Centre for Vocational Education Research, “Understanding the return on investment from TVET,” broadly estimates that every AU$1 ($0.70) invested in TVET produces a AU$0.31 ($0.21) societal benefit (after the investment is deducted).

Numbers aside, the citizens of Botswana can testify in their own words to the transformative power of this training. “We see a lot of young people on the streets, harassing members of the public and drinking alcohol,” notes Ompatile. “Many of the women quickly become mothers. This sort of training keeps them busy and improves their lives. Every student who completes a course, even those from poor families, can put something on the table with their own hands. In this way technical vocational educational training is a big success story.”

– Megan Sansom

Megan is based in Scotland and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons