The Department of Basic Education has started training teachers and subject advisors in preparation for the introduction of CAPS for technical schools in 2016.
Grade 10 teachers and subject advisors from the Free State, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape gathered at the Adcorp Technical Training Campus in Welkom from 13 to 17 July 2015, for training in Civil Technology and Mechanical Technology.
The training focused on Construction, Woodworking, Civil Services, Welding, Fitting, Machination and Automotive. The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Mr Enver Surty, visited the training centre on Wednesday, 15 July to observe how the training (which was attended by provincial officials, district officials, training centre management and staff, subject advisors, teachers from technical schools and DBE officials) was proceeding.
The visit was an opportunity for the Deputy Minister to personally observe the work being done to ensure that teachers were up to speed with the curriculum changes before they are introduced in 2016.
Addressing participants, Deputy Minister Surty emphasised the importance of skills development, indicating that the current administration has embarked on a programme to recapitalise and reinvigorate technical schools.
“Education is not purely academic. There is a technical aspect which is critical,” said Deputy Minister Surty. “South Africa is lacking in certain critical skills and often has to import skills. It is through a focus on skills development through technical schools and TVET colleges – that the country will be able to grow its own timber.”
The Deputy Minister went on to add that there needs to be a link between what happens and schools and the requirements of the economy. “It is through training such as this that we develop the appropriate capacity and skills for our educators, so that they are able to produce skilled artisans,” added the Deputy Minister.
The training of subject advisors and teachers will be stretched for a period of three years, starting with Grade 10 in 2015 and ending with Grade 12 in 2017. The training of subject advisors and teachers at the Skills Training Centres has the potential to influence the approach of teaching and learning of technical subjects as there is a need for interfacing the industrial approach with that of the basic education system for the improvement of outcomes and outputs.
The focus on skills development is partially in response to the concerns raised in the National Development Plan (NDP) around the lack of effectiveness of the Further Education and Training (FET) band with regards to the quality of learner outputs and the skills requirements needed by industry.
