Education Departments join forces to improve skills development
For every three learners that passed Grade 12 in 2013, one qualified to study for a bachelor’s degree, one qualified for entrance to a university of technology and one qualified to study at an FET college Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Mr Enver Surty announced this at the launch of the Decade of the Artisan campaign at the Ekurhuleni East technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college in Kwa Thema, near Springs in Gauteng.
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) on Monday launched its Decade of the Artisan programme, which aims to place artisanship as a career of choice for young people, with the goal of producing 30 000 artisans annually.
“Today is an important occasion. The President and the National Planning Commission enjoin us to attend as a matter of extreme urgency the task of improving artisans or tradesmen as well as quality and excellence,” Deputy Minister Surty told the learners from various local schools who had attended the launch.
“We have a serious challenge in South Africa of learners who go to school every day, do not pay attention and don’t take the opportunities which are presented to them. It is important that you recognise the diversity of opportunities available to you,” he said.
Deputy Minister Surty said that the Decade of the Artisan was cause for celebration, as there were always increasing opportunities for skilled artisans.
“The Department of Basic Education will continue to work together with our colleagues at Higher Education and Training to create opportunities for development. We currently have more than 1 000 technical schools in South African and we are looking at ways to strengthen the partnerships between these schools and colleges by working with the DHET and Setas,” said the Deputy Minister.
