To take education to greater heights and work with all stakeholders in Career Guidance for a better life for the youth of tomorrow, the MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Mr ES Mchunu called for a partnership between the Department of Basic Education and Career
Guidance people in the province. He briefed the Career Guidance Stakeholder Engagement workshop hosted by the MEC held on Friday, 24 August 2012 at the KZN Science Centre, Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga, Durban.
Addressing the media and stakeholders in Career Guidance the MEC said, “Parents want their children after completing their school education to go to university. Very few parents find the time to sit and talk to their children about subject choices. He thanked the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma to divide education into the Department of Basic Education and Higher Education. Initially it was very strange in South Africa, but not in the world. The President wants focus. We began to see the benefits”.
The MEC wanted a Careers Guidance Body established with all stakeholders who would then be responsible to advise him and the department on Career Guidance. The MEC said that his doors are always open for interaction and to take wisdom.
He was extremely concern of the present unskilled, unemployed youth who are desperate who cannot get a job, cannot get married cannot own a car are now turning to crime involving, smash and grab and hijacking.
Mchunu said the KZN Department of Education has a budget of R34 billion and we need to get maximum benefit. We need to bridge the gap and our students need to have sharp upper end skills at high school. The Office of the Premier will be creating a Forum to address problems on career guidance.
Very informative PowerPoint presentations were made by the stakeholders ably managed by Ms NJ Dlamini, Programme Director and Acting Head of Department: Education. The presenters are as followers.
- Mr Andrew Layman: CEO- Durban Chamber of Commerce, Why should business invest in career guidance in schools?
- Mr Cas Coovadia: Managing Director – Banking Association of South Africa:
- Transformation of the banking industry: Opportunities for growth and Development.
- Mr George van der Ross: CEO- Central Applications Office: Access to careers: The Role of Centralized Application Service,
- Mr Xolela Sohuma: Project Manager: Transformation and Growth-SAICA: The need to prioritize previously disadvantaged learners: What has been and can be done to develop and expand the programme.
- Ms Hlengiwe Mtetwa: Community Development Specialist –RBM: The experience of partners who support career guidance programmes in schools Capt. B Zulu: Project Director – KZN Sharks Board Maritime Institute of Sectoral and Occupational excellence: Building a skills Base and Economic Development through Nautial Education.
- Mr H Narismulu: Out-of-School Youth Programmes: A Proposal for Opportunities of Employment for School Leavers.
- Mr Sibusisiwe Ngubane – Legal Sector: Enabling youth to meet the challenges encountered in the legal sector.
