Taolo Lucas, Member of Parliament for Bobirwa, recently directed a series of questions to the Minister of Higher Education regarding the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) and its role in placing graduates in civil service employment. The questions sought clarity on the placement process, comparisons with the former Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) system, concerns about fairness and favoritism, and the possibility of reviewing the current system to address these issues.
The Minister began by outlining the historical context of the HRDC’s involvement in graduate employment placement. He explained that in 2017, the Government of Botswana, through a Presidential Directive (CAB 20(B)/2017), transferred the Unemployed Graduate Database (UGD) from the DPSM to the Botswana Labour Market Observatory (LMO), housed under the HRDC. This move was part of a broader effort to consolidate various jobseeker databases, including those from the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs and the Ministry of Higher Education, into a single national platform. The consolidation aimed to streamline online registration for jobseekers, including unemployed graduates, and centralize the management of the jobseeker database under the HRDC. This initiative aligned with the government’s digital transformation agenda under the 1Gov initiative, automating employment services and expanding access to online job opportunities.
Addressing the first question, the Minister clarified that the HRDC does not act as a broker or service provider for employment placement in the government or any other sector. Instead, the HRDC’s online platform serves as a tool to connect jobseekers with potential employers. Employers, including designated human resource officers in government, must register on the Labour Market Observatory (LMO) website to access the jobseeker database. They can then filter candidates based on qualifications and education levels, generating a list of eligible jobseekers. The recruitment process, including shortlisting, interviews, and assessments, remains the responsibility of the employers. The HRDC does not participate in these recruitment processes.
In response to the second question, the Minister highlighted the differences between the HRDC’s current system and the former DPSM approach. Under the DPSM, graduates were placed in vacant public service positions on a “first graduated, first registered” basis, with priority determined by registration dates. This system was limited to Ministries, Government Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and excluded parastatals and the private sector. The database was migrated to the HRDC in 2020 and consolidated into the current platform, which was launched in November 2020. Unlike the DPSM’s placement system, the HRDC’s platform is open to both government entities and the private sector, with recruitment driven by employers’ own processes.
Regarding concerns about unfairness, favoritism, and manipulation of the system, the Minister acknowledged the existence of such complaints. He attributed these challenges to perceived lack of transparency in recruitment and placement within the public service, inadequate employer registration, and limited job postings. The scarcity of job opportunities in the public service has further exacerbated the situation, leading to prolonged waiting periods for jobseekers. Despite these challenges, the HRDC has undertaken vigorous campaigns and publicity initiatives to enhance the platform’s utilization by both employers and jobseekers.
On the question of reviewing the system to make it fair and favoritism-proof, the Minister revealed that the HRDC is in the final stages of developing a revamped Labour Market Information System (LMIS). This upgraded system, expected to be launched in the first half of the 2025/2026 financial year, will feature enhanced functionalities for jobseekers and employers. The new platform is designed to optimize job search efficiency, foster greater employer engagement, and ensure inclusivity for all users. It aims to address many of the challenges faced in the existing system, including perceived unfairness and inefficiencies.
In his concluding remarks, the Minister emphasized that while the new system is expected to improve the efficiency of the jobseeker-employer matching process, the broader challenge of unemployment requires the economy to generate more job opportunities. The HRDC, through the LMO, continues to raise awareness of market opportunities, upskilling, and retooling programs for unemployed graduates. Strategic partnerships with employers in both the public and private sectors are being leveraged to encourage the use of the LMIS database as the first point of recruitment. These efforts are expected to minimize jobseeker concerns, improve job matching, and ultimately address the challenge of unemployment.
