Skills Development-Fuel for Global Competitiveness. Rre Elijah Litheko: CEO Institute of People Management

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1 Skills Development-Fuel for Global Competitiveness Rre Elijah Litheko: CEO Institute of People Management

2 Skills Development-Policy Directives Skills Development/Levy Acts National Skills Development Strategy Employment Equity Act National Planning Commission Diagnostic Report 2

3 Skills Development Act Institutional framework to devise and implement National, Sector and Workplace strategies To develop and improve the skills of the South African workforce To provide for learnerships that lead to recognised occupational qualifications To provide for the financing of skills development (levy financing and national skills fund) 3

4 Skills Development Key Stakeholders Government Organised Labour Skills Development? Organised Business 4

5 Supporting Infrastructure National Skills Authority Sector Education and Training Authorities South African Qualifications Authority Quality Assurance Bodies Human Resource Development Council of South Africa 5

6 Purpose of the Act To improve: Quality of life of workers Prospects of work and labour mobility Productivity and Competitiveness Delivery of Social Services To increase investment in Education and Training To encourage employers to use the workplace as an active learning environment To provide opportunities for new employees to gain work experience To employ persons who find it difficult to be employed To encourage workers to participate in learning programs To redress the effects of past discriminatory legislation To ensure the quality of learning in and for the workplace 6

7 Employment Equity Act To implement affirmative action measures to redress the disadvantages in employment experienced by designated groups in order to ensure the equitable representation in all occupational categories and levels in the workforce 7

8 National Skills Development Strategy Increase responsiveness of training and education to social and economic development agenda Address quality issues in the education and skills development pipeline Address skills shortages in priority areas Establish institutional mechanism for coordination, integration, coherence, accountability and reporting Optimise efficacy and outcomes of HRD in respect of SA development agenda 8

9 National Planning Commission Diagnostic Report 9

10 The Impact of Bantu Education on Skills Development 10

11 1948 Herenigde National Party which later became National Party came into power. Embarked on a process of disempowering the black population Introduced Bantu Education as an instrument of the Apartheid system Closed missionary schools Removed control of African Education from the provinces Placed it under the control of the Minister of Native Affairs (Dr Hendrik Verwoerd), including the appointment of teachers Source: Readers digest Illustrated history of South Africa

12 The impact of Bantu Education on Skills development Dr Verwoerd said the school must equip the bantu to meet the demands that his master imposes on him at the workplace. What is the use of teaching a bantu child mathematics when it cannot use it in practice About the African teachers salary, Dr Verwoerd said the bantu teacher serves the bantu community and his salary must be fixed accordingly In 1953 a black teacher s salary was 2 per week and a University graduate, 4 per week 12

13 The impact of Bantu Education on Skills development This resulted in a drastic drop in the number of trainee teachers No private school could operate outside the ambit of Dr Verwoerd s Dept. of Native Affairs In 1959 Bantu Education was extended to the Universities (Extension of the University Act) Non white Universities were established Non white students enrolled at white Universities were to leave by the beginning 1961 English speaking Universities protested to no avail Scarce skills Unequal ditribution of resources 13

14 Protest against the exclusion of Blacks at Wits We affirm in the name of the University of Witwatersrand that it is our duty to uphold the principle that a University is a place where men and women without regard to race and colour are welcome to join in the acquisition and advancement of knowledge and continue faithfully to defend this ideal against all who have sought by legislative enactment to curtail the autonomy of this University.. Now therefore we dedicate ourselves to the maintenance of this ideal and to the restoration of the autonomy of our University. 14

15 South Africa s Competitiveness Global Competitiveness Index South Africa ranked 50 th United Nations Human Development Index South Africa ranked 123 rd Unemployment rate: 25.2% 15

16 Skills Development: A Broad Definition Skills development does not refer to the source of education or training itself but to the capacities that are acquired through these skills. Robert Palmer Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh 16

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18 How can we improve our situation? A Coordinated Skills Development Regime: A high level, joint approach and commitment from Government, Business & Labour to address the critical issues of National Skills Development This Regime will be driven by the needs for economic and social growth; and it is not an education and training initiative per se The primary objective of the Regime will be the co-ordination of all private and public sector initiatives to ensure that there is minimal duplication and maximization of effort and conflicting direction 18

19 Further Considerations- Education Proper Career guidance from primary education level Investment in Education, including proper Educational infrastructure Political will and commitment to redress the educational imbalances of the past Bridging programmes Rebranding of the teaching profession 19

20 Further Considerations- Training & Workplace experience Proper Implementation of RPL Funding of work-integrated learning and internships by the SETAs Implementation of mentoring and coaching programmes Implementation of job shadowing programmes Assignment, management & participation in projects Job rotation/multi skilling Implementation of Accelerated Development Programmes Reskilling of unemployed Graduates and Diplomates using the National Skills Fund Tax rebates for contributing companies 20

21 Further Considerations Research on Impact of Skills Development Initiatives 21

22 Further Considerations Conducive environment for Entrepreneurship!!! 22

23 Europe at the Crossroads Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight them on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight them on the beaches, we shall never surrender. 23

24 South Africa at the crossroads Unequal education Dysfunctional school system (townships, rural areas) High youth unemployment rate 24

25 Employment Country/Region Unemployment Rate Employment rate informal Sector South Africa Other Sub Saharan Argentina Brazil India

26 FAIL or FLAG 26

27 THANK-YOU Telephone: +27(0) Facsimile: +27(0) Kent Ave, South Wing Ground Floor, Ferndale Randburg, 2194, South Africa