SRC UNDERGO LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND MENTORSHIP WORKSHOP

According to the Human Resource Development Councils (HRDC) Strategic Plan 2016-2020, the student community is a strategic stakeholder that is valuable to HRDC and such expected to fully engage and consult them at all times thereby collectively transforming the Education and Training Sector in Botswana.

Therefore, it is imperative for HRDC to uphold this obligation by conducting Annual Student’s Leadership training that seeks to nurture young student leaders.

HRDC hosted a Student Representative Council (SRC) Leadership Training and mentoring workshop at TraveLodge, on the 20th – 21st September 2017, under the theme, ‘Talking Change; Cultivating Student Leaders and Changing Mind Set’. The objectives of the workshop among others; were to inculcate leadership skills to nurture young student leaders. The outcome of this training in the medium and long term is to assist in moulding young leaders to enable them to sustain institutions that they lead and more importantly to lead amidst inherent leadership challenges.

Giving the opening remarks during the workshop, the HRDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Raphael Dingalo expressed his gratitude to the SRC members for occupying leadership positions at an early age. Dr. Dingalo also appreciated the gender balance within SRC members and encouraged the approach to continue in future thereby curbing the problem of gender disparities within Botswana’s leadership positions spheres.

Dr. Dingalo encouraged the SRC members to withstand challenges associated with leadership responsibilities and refrain from giving up having in mind that persistence and resilience  forms part of good leadership traits. “Leadership skill is a competency that aids in achieving the set goals that also come with challenges. As a leader one should go through challenges and soldier on in order to achieve the set goals” expressed Dr Dingalo.

The Director of Human Resource Development Planning (HRDP) - Supply, Dr Ellah Matshediso elaborated on the objectives of the training workshop. She further emphasised that some sessions will focus on various aspects of transformative and progressive leadership such as negotiation skills, conflict management, effective communication, leading a vision and inspiring others which are relevant for the 21st century leader.

In conclusion, Dr Matshediso encouraged the SRC members to utlise leadership skills acquired from this training to inspire others and lead by example while discharging their leadership roles. A twoday Leadership Training and Mentoring Workshop was filled with informative presentations and deliberations entailing; personality test; leadership concepts, principles and theories; student governance, team building; effective communication and making an impression and many others.