BOBS and BNPC sign landmark MoU
23-07-2010
The country’s two leading players in matters of productivity quality and standards, Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) and Botswana National Productivity Centre (BNPC) have sealed a long-term formal working relationship.
BOBS and BNPC on July 8, 2010 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) giving effect to Presidential Directive CAB 37(B)/2009 mandating the two institutions to collaborate on issues of productivity, quality and standards.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, BNPC Acting Executive Director, Mr Parmod Chandna outlined a number of key areas that the two institutions have identified to work together on.
However, Mr Chandna cautioned that without development of effective programmes by the two parties, the signing of the MoU would be an effort in vain.
Despite that observation, Mr Chandna was optimistic that the collaboration, places an obligation and a duty on BOBS and BNPC to develop programmes aimed at bringing meaningful interventions into the country’s economy.
For her part, BOBS Managing Director, Mrs Masego Marobela urged other interested parties such as manufacturers, service providers, consumers, the public and private sectors to take advantage of the signed MoU for the development of the economy.
Mrs Marobela further emphasised that the joint efforts between BOBS and BNPC and the signing of the MoU should bring about the revival of the Excellence Foundation to play an important role in the initiation and promotion of the National Quality and Excellence Awards. Such a scenario, she asserted would be important stepping stones to the entrance of Botswana enterprises and their participation in the SADC and International Quality and Excellence Awards.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ms Tickey Pule said the signing of the MoU was in-keeping with government’s wider commitment to promote greater efficiency in the performance of parastatals and public institutions in the country.
She further explained that government has taken a deliberate policy decision to initiate a process of reorganising and repositioning various parastatals to achieve optimal synergies and economies of scale as well as greater administrative efficiency.
The exercise, she added would lead to the merging of a number of entities, such as the Tertiary Education Council (TEC) and the Botswana Training Authority (BOTA), an example which should lead to greater consistency in education and training.
On the BOBS and BNPC front, Ms Pule stated that it was important for the two institutions to forges closer working relationship, as reflected in the signing of the MoU.
Furthermore, she underscored that besides providing for greater sharing of resources, it was anticipated that the MoU would also serve as a framework for BOBS and BNPC to develop joint programmes and interventions based on complimentary demands for greater productivity and quality assurance.
Meanwhile, Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mxwell Motwane hailed the MoU signing as indicative of the fact that the BOBS and BNPC have collaborative programme and they are complimentary in terms of their mandate.
He called on government to assist BOBS and BNPC by removing bottlenecks that could stifle progress in the implementation of the MoU between the two institutions.
While retaining their identity, BoBS and BNPC through the MoU undertake among other areas collaborate in:
• Training-share training, curriculum and also plan training and pricing;
• Information and Resource Centre Services sharing- have access to each other’s Resource Centre to facilitate information sharing;
• Facilities-have access to each other’s accommodation, sports grounds and conference rooms for clients’ convenience.
In terms of mandate, BOBS is key driver of setting quality standards while BNPC is charged with the responsibility to raise the level of productivity consciousness across all sector of the economy.
< BNPC to host the SADC- Regional Productivity Centre
