Yes, what we need are development catalysts

The Arusha-based Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (Esami) on Saturday staged a graduation ceremony for some 380 leadership and administration students from 22 African countries.

Gracing the occasion, the Minister for Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, implored the new graduates “to be the African continent’s (economic) development catalysts”.

A catalyst for economic development is one that creates the conditions necessary for meaningful and sustainable economic growth, resulting in an all-inclusive enhanced quality of life for the people.

The economic development catalyst usually does this by expanding the capacity of individuals, communities and organizations in order to maximise the application of their abilities and skills to support innovation and reduce costs. This is with the aim of producing high quality, readily marketable goods and services at all times.

In addition, economic development requires effective collaborative institutions that are focused on bolstering mutual advancement for the public and private sectors of a given a country. Economic development is also vital in guaranteeing a financially sustainable future.

In our view, Esami is one such effectively collaborative institution which consistently strives to produce quality graduates whose skills and abilities have been honed into virtual human capital that is a significant catalytic asset in terms of socioeconomic development. This fact cannot be overemphasised if Africa is to surmount the challenges the continent has been facing over the years and is likely to face in the future in its ambitious development endeavours.