The concept and ideas contained in Limkokwing University’s Entrepreneurship Acceleration Platform (LEAP) are parallel with the ideals set out by the Swazi government and encompassed in the vision 2022 of economic and development empowerment transformation of the country.

The vision shared and implemented by the institution was key to achieving sustainability and lasting economic growth.

This was revealed by the Minister of Commerce and Trade Industry Jabulile Mashwama when she officially launched the Limkokwing Entrepreneurship Acceleration Platform (LEAP) programme at the institution on Wednesday.

The event was attended by various key industry drivers from both public and private sectors.

The LEAP programme was said to be an initiative which advocates for the interns to also learn more about the intricacies of the entrepreneurial market and how to run a business from concept to actualisation.

“It is therefore on this basis that I am committed to support LEAP,” said the minister.

Committed

She said government was committed to the development and empowerment of every single Swazi. She elaborated to state that to this end, government has set up libraries in the various districts and villages around the Kingdom on an effort to promote reading as a way to acquire knowledge, information and recreate.

“Endeavors such as these were key for future economic growth and lasting development, leading to greater stability and improved standards of living.

A programme like this may offer predictions as to the implications of education policy changes on macroeconomic performance,” said Mashwama.

“I realise as I speak today that creative education increases an individual’s earning potential, but also produces a ‘ripple effect’ throughout the economy by way of a series of positive externalities and I believe that it is programmes such as LEAP that produce this ripple impact,” added Mashwama.

She said the internship programme to be facilitated through the LEAP was an opportunity to balance the uneven income distribution which stems from low job creation, adding that if the programme was received well by the industry then we we should be able to achieve a meaningful and sustained improvement in people’s lives. “I am personally impressed because I believe this endeavour will create an opportunity for job creation,” said the minister. The programme also highlights that such reforms are on the demand side of the labour market and that therefore this must include changes in the curricula for tertiary education and the establishment of new training programs like the LEAP.