The Chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Marius Fransman, has called on the Minister of Higher Education to advance a long term strategy for skills development in South Africa to meet the needs of many young people.
Fransman was speaking after the Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, addressed the Committee for the first time since his appointment. Nzimande will return in November to table to Parliament a draft of the policy statement on his department containing his vision for the next five years. He will then present the policy document to the Committee and also embark on an awareness campaign through public participation.
"The Committee has raised various concerns about fragmented skills training in the country. Young people do not know where to go for skills training opportunities and need more information. About 2,5 million young people are unemployed lacking relevant skills therefore effectively leaving them marooned unemployable.
"We call on the Minister to put plans in place through his policy statement to assist these young people. Furthermore, we need more data on them in order to track these 16 to 35 year olds in partnerships with institutions like the National Youth Development Agency," said Fransman.
The Committee welcomed that the Minister has put in place a strategic document for the transition to align skills training and higher education. The Chairperson commended the Minister for the correct approach in dealing with all facets of skills development that is from professional to apprentice level.
A new department is in the process of being structured for Higher Education and Training for all the universities, 50 Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges, adult education and skills development. It is envisaged that the 23 Sector Education and Training Agencies (SETAs) will migrate from the Department of Labour to fall under the new department. It will encompass all out-of-school and adult education and training, only excluding certain specialised sector colleges like nursing and agriculture to meet all the human resource needs of the country.
The current Department of Education will be split into two, Basic Education and Higher Education and Training. From November the legal responsibility becomes that of the respective Ministers.
Nzimande said there is a high responsibility on the universities as public institutions to also account publicly. Perceptions also need to be changed about colleges that have a bigger role to play in the post school system.
"It's not the end of the world if a child cannot go to a university. There are many more options to explore in preparing such a child for employment," he said.
For enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson please contact:
Marius Fransman
Cell: 082 907 7300
Issued by: Parliament of South Africa
16 September 2009
Source: Parliament of South Africa (http://www.parliamemt.gov.za)
