Unemployment among the youth has always been a concern over the years, with the rates ranging between thirty-five percent (35%), and thirty-six percent (36%).
The statistics however were recorded between the years 2016, and 2019. By that period, the economy was sailing smoothly, with little or no economic challenges.
This makes one to wonder how the statistics are currently, given that the economy has been knocked down by the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The pandemic has resulted in job losses, while other companies halted hiring, and others collapsed.
The other factor, which for the longest time, made it difficult for the youth to find employment is their ages in relation to many years of work experience requested by government entities, and private companies when hiring.
Speaking on the issue, and how best it can be rectified, the Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Honourable Sethomo Lelatisitswe held;
“Mr Speaker, Youth unemployment remains a thorny issue that needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Botswana has a youthful population educated and ready to go into the market; yet we still demand extensive years of work experience thereby denying them an opportunity to contribute meaningfully in the economy and the political ecosystem. The most brilliant brains are wasted because of their age and the so called lack of experience. This needs to change Mr. Speaker and only then can we talk of empowering young people. In the absence of this we can as well forget about mindset change. In Boteti we pride ourselves in the like of Bogolo Kenewendos, a brilliant mind who was appointed to Cabinet and now continues to shine and raise the blue black and white flag globally. But, we have more and even better Kenewendos and my wish is to see them driving the economy of this country. Then we can talk about reaping rewards from our demographic dividend, ” Assistant Minister Lelatisitswe observed.
In light of the dire situation which the youth of Botswna find themselves in, if the Assistant Minister Lelatisitswe could table which would force the employers to reduce their work experience expectations, the motion could pass given the high numbers of legislators the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has.
