Botswana Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) has joined forces with ICDL Africa in a move to enhance digital literacy within the financial services industry.
The partnership was sealed with a memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations in Gaborone on Monday.
The scope of collaboration is that BIBF will provide an accredited test centre and tuition, while ICDL will handle certification, summative assessment and provide training support resources.
“Partnering with ICDL Africa allows us to enhance our offerings and provide our client with access to a certification that is not only globally recognized but also essential for their career advancement,” said BIBF Acting Managing Director Molaodi Menyatso.
“The partnership with ICDL Africa signifies our shared commitment to empowering individuals with digital skills, bridging the digital divide, and contributing to the socio-economic development of our country, region and beyond,” he added.
As a result of the collaboration, both entities are expected to benefit in terms of alignment with industry needs as they will align their educational offerings with the evolving needs of the banking, finance, and broader business sectors.
Further, the partnership enables both BIBF and ICDL Africa to expand their reach and market presence.
“This is an important partnership with focus on education digital skills making progress in Botswana. Digital economy is power by people and that can be achieved when people are equipped with skills, therefore we recognise the importance of empowering people with skills,” said ICDL Chief Executive Officer Damien O’Sullivan.
The partnership will offer various learning modules, including Digital Skills for Employability and Productivity, Digital Skills for Occupational Effectiveness, Digital Understanding for Managers and ICDL Digital citizen modules.
These eLearning modules, accessible through the internet, require internet-enabled devices for completion.
“This partnership will empower individuals and organisations with the tools needed to function and excel in an increasingly technology driven and digital world,” Menyatso said and added: “It provides opportunities for corporate and individual members in areas requiring digital skills, to stay competitive and relevant in the job market, allows easy and ready access to world class digital education and certification for students and corporate leaders and facilitates the achievement of the SMART Botswana initiatives by organisations in support of a knowledge-based economy”.
BIBF was established in 1991 with a mandate to provide skills development and training in the banking and finance sector and set a code of ethics and conduct for banking professionals among other mandates.
