Address by the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande on the occasion of the welcome gala dinner of the 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education at Skukuza Safari Lodge in Mpumalanga
Programme Directors
Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for Education and External Affairs, Republic of India;
Dr Reginah Mhaule, Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Republic of South Africa;
Dr Konstantin Mogilevskiy, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education, Russian Federation;
Dr CHEN Jie, Vice Minister of Education, People’s Republic of China;
Ms Denise Pires de Carvalho, Vice Minister of Education and Secretary of State for High Education, Federative Republic of Brazil;
MEC for Education in the Mpumalanga province, Mr Bonakele Majuba;
Our invited guest: Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, Minister of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, Republic of Namibia;
Director-General of the Department of Higher Education and Training who is also the Chairperson of the BRICS Education Senior Officials Meeting, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi;
Director-General of the Department of Basic Education, Mr Mweli and senior officials including education experts from BRICS Member States;
Invited guest country;
Distinguished guests;
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed a great honour to address the Opening Ceremony of the 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education hosted in the province of Mpumalanga.
Our meeting is convened under the theme: “Responsive and Relevant Education and Training in the Current Global Context”.
The chosen theme is more relevant in terms of the geo-political issues that are currently confronting us with regards to Russia-Ukraine conflict. As the global community emerge from the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa is honoured to be host the first face-to-face meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education. We reaffirm our commitment to build on the successes of the previous nine sessions of this meeting.
The 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education is hosted at a crucial time for BRICS as we expect the expansion agenda of BRICS to be discussed extensively by BRICS leaders during the 15th BRICS Summit scheduled to take place from 22-24 August 2023 in Johannesburg.
In recognition of the theme for the 15th BRICS Summit which is “BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism”, the Department of Higher Education and Training has decided to invite Namibia as a guest of the 10th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Education.
Indeed, South Africa cannot prosper in isolation leaving the entire African continent behind especially the SADC region. This is also the premise of our country’s foreign policy in relation to the consolidation of the African agenda.
South Africa has put forward eight (8) thematic areas to be discussed during this year’s meeting of Ministers of Education.
These issues include climate change, entrepreneurship development, skills for the changing world, mutual recognition of qualifications, out-of-school youth, labour market intelligence, early childhood development and university global ranking.
I implore you to make concrete proposals on how the BRICS education system can assist to contribute meaningfully in all these thematic areas.
In the area of mutual recognition of qualifications for instance, since the adoption of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education, BRICS Member States need to discuss possible cooperation aimed at accelerating ratification by countries and its prompt implementation. BRICS countries must put systems in place to encourage mobility of students and education experts and academics. South Africa is at an advance stage in terms of concluding relevant constitutional obligation to accede to the Global Convention.
We must continue to encourage BRICS academics to research relevant topics within BRICS including the implications of the proposed BRICS currency and the role of the New Development Bank of BRICS. It is the research community of BRICS that is going to assist to elaborate this issue better.
Skills for the Changing World is crucial for BRICS to remain on the path for sustainable economic growth. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) present a unique opportunity for Africa and BRICS to explore further areas of cooperation in terms of skills development. It can be argued that the AfCFTA is going to be a game changer on how BRICS Member States conduct trade with the African continent.
Honorable Ministers, we convene here after having witnessed very constructive dialogue from the 15th BRICS Academic Forum which was hosted in May this year in Cape Town. We must build from these discussions and reflect on the topical issues such as the proposed establishment of the BRICS Academy.
We are going to get the opportunity to be briefed on the BRICS Network University Seminar and the International Governing Board hosted from 05 – 06 July 2023 at the North-West University in Potchefstroom.
The province of Mpumalanga is a host of the University of Mpumalanga which is one of the newly established universities in our country. We trust that the University will find the BRICS Network University appetizing and will be able to join other universities that are part of the network.
I am equally pleased that the BRICS TVET Cooperation Alliance Seminar and Institution President Forum is currently being held in Boksburg in Gauteng province. I would like to acknowledge the role the People’s Republic of China in the operationalization of the BRICS TVET Cooperation Alliance.
We trust that the next Chair of BRICS will be able to contribute to the strengthening of the BRICS TVET Cooperation Alliance as technical and vocational education and training colleges are an important vehicle to assist in the massification of the post-school education and training.
The education system is critical to the sustainable economic growth of our nations and in helping us to fight against the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequalities.
The daunting task before us as BRICS Ministers of Education is to consolidate the resolutions of these sectoral engagements and table them to the BRICS Heads of States in August 2023.
I trust you will enjoy your stay in Mpumalanga province, “the place of the rising sun”. Please make time to join the game drive organized for you on Friday to enjoy the beauty of our wildlife and I trust you will be able to spot the Big five (5).
I thank you.
