Closing remarks by the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Mduduzi Manana at the National Artisan Development Strategy Conference
Programme Director - Mr Fumani Mboweni
Deputy Director General – Mr Zukile Mvalo
DHET Executives, Officials and Advisors
International Guests
SETA CEOs and Officials
TVET College Representatives
Organised Labour
Organised Business
Skills Development Providers
Distinguished Guests
Fellow South Africans
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Afternoon
I am honoured and pleased to stand in front of all of you today to close the 2016 National Artisan Development Conference.
My pleasure derives from the fact that over the last two days, critical skills development issues (in particular; artisan development) impacting on the future of our country have been discussed broadly in this conference.
The developmental future of our country has been the focus of all of you as you deliberated on how best to approach artisan skills development requirements in order to propel artisanal growth paths into the next phase of achievement.
The former United Nations Secretary-General Mr Koffi Annan stated and I quote “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family”, unquote.
The wisdom contained in this quotation rings true in this hall today as we all recognise that education is the one true vehicle that can change a family’s future, thereby impacting the future of the whole nation.
The National Artisan Development Strategy aims to chart an unencumbered way to achieving the end results that education can bring to citizens, families and the country as a whole.
The strategy also aims to create a streamlined, single, integrated and coordinated artisan development system which eliminates the present multiplicity of artisan pathways.
The removal of complexity of artisan pathways will facilitate a better comprehension of the system, it will also promote accessibility to artisanship and instil a sense of equity and parity of esteem within the artisan milieu.
The strategy further aims to establish a seamless holistic approach in bringing together all the elements making up the artisan development system.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe the provincial and stakeholder consultation processes as well as your valuable and pertinent inputs emanating from this conference will culminate in a comprehensive analysis of the full artisan value chain. The Department will certainly share the proposed recommendations with yourselves as the process is taken forward.
One of the key elements of the artisan development value chain which I personally drive is advocacy and career guidance through the “Decade of the Artisan” programme and the emerging World Skills South Africa programme, both of which aim to promote artisan careers as careers of choice, in fact, as careers of first choice.
At the core of these programmes lives a potent tool that the department is using to disseminate information to learners, teachers and communities in general about artisanal careers. In the process we dispel the myths of the past that artisans are low level careers. Furthermore the programmes aim to bridge the gap between the TVET College sector and industry.
Programme Director, work that was commissioned by the Department to the Swiss South Africa Cooperation Initiative on artisan registration and completion statistics shows that the average age of learners entering into artisan training is gradually increasing. This is of particular concern as learners may enter the artisan training system from as early as grade 10.
It is for this reason that the Decade of the Artisan and World Skills South Africa programmes aim to educate learners about opportunities available to them and encourage their participation as youth in the artisan training system.
Deputy Director General of the Skills Branch - Mr Mvalo, another critical element I must also not fail to mention which is key to the success of the artisan training system is the relationship between public TVET colleges, employers, skills development providers and SETAs, which has already been emphasised at the opening of this conference.
It is a fact that the bulk of actual learning in a quality artisan training system happens in the workplace, which ultimately puts workplaces at the centre of the training system. This is not only true for learner placements but is also key for lecturer development.
To the representatives of Organised Labour and Organised Business, allow me to indicate again that employers are critical in guiding our TVET colleges to offer programme content that is relevant to industry development and to emphasise your role in ensuring that quality is inherent in every aspect of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training system.
We are very grateful that the Department is advised by employers (through various employer forums) to ensure that the policies and regulations the department implements are in line with the requirements of industrial development practices. With all of the above roles that industry plays and should play in the artisan development system, I cannot overemphasise its importance in the artisan development system.
I know that the final National Artisan Development Strategy document will come with practical solutions for improving on this key relationship.
Ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion, the presence of all social partners over the last two days gives me comfort that we are on the right track. I trust that these relationships we are continually building will stand us in good stead in the skills revolution taking place. Rest assured that we as the DHET will continually strive to ensure that our country has the skills required to propel the success so needed by many of our fellow countrymen and our country.
As we strive to achieve these goals we do recognise that there is still some way to go in achieving an entrenched artisan development system that will satisfy everybody and produce the numbers required by the country. I expect you to hold us accountable as we continue to lead the revolution in the artisan environment, after all this country belongs to all of us.
I thank you.
