News

The University of Botswana (UB) and the Ministry of Sport and Arts (MOSA) strengthened their commitment to fostering a sustainable ecosystem for sports and the arts in Botswana by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the 7th of February 2025, at the UB Council Chamber.

Minister of Sport and Arts, Hon. Jacob Kelebeng, underscored the significance of the MoU in tackling youth unemployment which he said had been exacerbated by limited opportunities and underutilised potential including UB’s state-of-the-art facilities. He observed that collaboration with UB would create avenues for youth employment, promote growth of the creative industry as well as revitalise sports in schools.

"There's an urgent need for proactive measures to avoid social and economic instability. Therefore, we decided to pursue this collaboration with UB as a key institution that has untapped resources, such as research infrastructure and academic departments," said Hon. Kelebeng.

Meanwhile Acting Director at the Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation, Dr Comfort Mokgothu, affirmed UB's pivotal role in the advancement of sports, arts and culture. Dr Mokgothu pointed out that UB was uniquely positioned to drive the development of sports and promote the arts through research, talent identification, strategic partnerships and community engagement. He also mentioned that UB boasted a pool of experts in sports science, including sports psychologists, sports medicine physiologists and biomechanicists, equipped with skills in modern training technologies.

Dr Mokgothu further stated that the arts were integral to the country’s cultural fabric and served as powerful tools for education, social cohesion and community development. He noted that UB supported both academic and non-academic arts through vibrant student led groups in traditional dance, marimba, jazz, poetry, songwriting and other activities.

For his part, UB Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, remarked that it was time for Botswana to leverage the value of sports and creative arts industry. Citing statistics from neighboring countries such as South Africa, Professor Norris indicated that sport and creative arts had the potential to enhance economic activity. He described the partnership with the Ministry as a step in the right direction.