Outcomes of the Human Resource Development Council provincial coordinating forum held in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) Secretariat, today, 26 June 2015, held a successful Human Resource Development Provincial Coordination Forum meeting at the King Shaka Airport in Durban. The purpose of the meeting is to access progress achieved by various provincial HRD structures in the implementation of the Human Resource Development Strategy.
The HRD Provincial Coordination Forum meeting chaired by Ms Brenda Ntombela received a progress report on the task given by Deputy President Ramaphosa who is the chairperson of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) to complete the process for the establishment of Provincial based HRD Councils. The Forum is a structure of Council established by the Human Resource Development Technical Working Group as a forum for the provinces to ensure coordination, alignment, integration, communication, collaboration, implementation, and reporting of HRD imperatives with the Provincial Growth and Development Plans (PGDP) as well as Local Economic Development Plans.
The meeting focused on quarterly progress reports from provinces on the five-point plan of the HRDC that relates to:
1. Improving the quality of Foundational Learning
2. Strengthening of Technical, Vocational Education and Training Colleges and improving access
3. Worker Education
4. Production of Academics and strengthening of partnership between Higher Education Institutions and Industry
5. Production of Professionals with emphasis on Artisan Development
In this regard, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) as the host province shared achievements and challenges from the last quarter of 2014/15 financial year as follows:
- Artisan Development: 790 artisans (on various fields) are in training.
- Alignment of the Provincial Human Resource Development Strategy with the New Growth Path: HRD in the Province integrated and contributing to the NGP.
- Technical Vocational Education and Training colleges: All nine Colleges have partnerships with industries, Provincial Artisan Development Steering Committee established and capacitation of lectures has begun.
- Production of Professionals: Province awarded 2043 external bursaries to out of school youth focusing on scarce and critical skills, 798 learners in Cuba (Department of Health).
- An increase of Academic Staff with Masters from 79 in 2012 to 109 in 2014.
- Industry/University partnerships: Facilitated engagements between academic institutions and industry.
- Worker Education: 1852 public servants have been trained and 1265 bursaries have been awarded to staff.
- Foundational Learning: The department is rapidly moving towards the equitable provision of ECD opportunities.
In line with the National Development Plan to produce 30 000 artisans per annum, by 2030, the meeting also received a presentation from the Air Traffic Navigation Services (ATNS) on how provinces are taking full-advantage of bursaries for training as artisans they offer, to young people. The selection criteria in this regard, require matric with both Mathematics and English on higher grade. “The bursary programme has recorded success in training and development of artisans in the Limpopo, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, and I urge all other provinces to replicate’, said the Human Resource Service Manager Ms Ouma Selebogo.
Furthermore, the meeting received progress reports from other provinces in attendance based on the five-point plan mentioned above. The Department of Science and Technology made a presentation on progress achieved in the development of a Research Information Management System (RIMS), that seeks to create synergy on data-collection for Research and Development. The system will provide reliable and comparable data for national surveys as well as routine information required by different statutory bodies. The data available can assist decision makers to craft informed policies based on reliable information.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the HRDC Secretariat highlighted the importance of aligning current provincial targets with the new priorities for 2015-2020 as adopted by the Human Resource Development Council.
For further information and to schedule interviews, please contact:
Lineo Ramataboe
E-mail: ramataboe.l@dhet.gov.za
Cell: 082 466 8390
