Programme director
Honourable Premier Magashule
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the Education Portfolio Committee
Vice Chancellor, Professor Mthembu
Heads of department present here
Provincial government
Senior Government executives, Professor Ralebipi-Simela, Professors Schultz
Academics
Representatives from the private sector
Department of Education human resource officials
Media houses present here
Learners
Ladies and gentlemen
It is not possible to name all the people who have contributed, in one way or another, to the work that has gone into this ‘Aha Bokamoso’ partnership adventure. Redressing the legacy of Apartheid is an undertaking that requires support and assistance from the social partners without which Government will certainly struggled to accomplish this mammoth task.
As you know in his January 8 statement the ANC President Jacob Zuma called on us to “work together with our partners to speed up effective service delivery to the people”.
Dear compatriots, ladies and gentlemen, following the historic 2009 election victory of the ANC we have committed ourselves to create decent work and sustainable livelihoods, make education the priority for all, improve access to health care and reduce inequality in the health system, fight against crime and speed up rural development.
Accordingly, we humbly take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the premier for availing himself despite her busy schedule to the launch of this strategic partnership.
Honourable premier we appreciate the stature you bring to this occasion. Your words have truly been a source of inspiration to all of us. We are thankful that you have filled us with hope. Fortune has smiled on us in that we have you to lead us as we respond to the daunting challenges of our time, which demand of us that we make Free State a better province.
Under your leadership we must and will attend to the urgent challenges of tackling poverty, illiteracy, and acute skill shortage. We derive joy in the fact that Operation Hlasela, the Free State government’s flagship socio-economic intervention has put education and skills development at the centre of this government programme.
The Free State government stands firm in its commitment of creating a better life for the people of the province. Under the theme of ‘Aha Bokamoso: Joining minds for skills development’ we are upbeat honourable premier that this partnership will indeed yield much needed greater socio-economic growth in our province.
The state of the art Regional Innovation Centre (RIC) will go a long way in stimulating the level of research, innovation and development in the province. Accordingly, we take this opportunity to appeal to other stakeholders outside this partnership to join hands with us as we seek to urgently tackle the scourge of poverty, shortage of skills and general underdevelopment, let these socioeconomic challenges thwart our intention to contribute towards economic growth that we have committed to.
Furthermore our province’s state of readiness for the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be tested by how we effectively address these developmental challenges that may negatively impact on the tourism growth in the province. The premier’s keynote address has set the tone for all of us to do serious work, work that require that we do not mistake wishes for the real Programme of Action, work which demands that we do not substitute what has to be done with eloquent speeches. The words have been spoken. We must now act.
Once more we thank you honourable premier for everything you have done in the last seven months to make this Province a better place. Programme director, we would like to also thank Honourable MEC Dukwana for providing leadership in the establishment of the Regional Innovation Centre. We also thank the University of the Central University of Technology under the leadership of Professor Mthembu for providing intellectual inputs, high technology support and mentoring of our innovators.
We salute Professor Mthembu for demonstrating a revolutionary and progressive cadreship by affording about 126 Free State Department of Education Human Resource officials an opportunity to develop and hone their skills in industrial relations, labour relations and personnel management. This training will assist the department to effectively and efficiently deliver on its core mandate, which is the quality of learning and teaching.
Professor Mthembu we are launching this partnership in the wake of our disappointing 2010 grade 12 results. As a province our pass rate has regrettably dropped by just more than two percent. We therefore welcome the Saturday School project and believe the initiative will enhance our revised provincial strategy on learner attainment and improve our pass rate in maths, science, accounting and English.
We take this opportunity to call on selected learners to take this project seriously by attending their class on time so that they rip positive benefit out of the project. Dr Nwaila, our Director-General, the head of the two departments involved in this initiative deserve to be acknowledged. Their strategic guidance in the process of establishing this partnership has not gone unnoticed. Dr Nwaila your expertise in matters of academia, skills development and research and development are indispensable in the success of this partnership. We salute organising committee for putting together the logistics for this august event.
We will also like to thank and acknowledge the graphic design students for crafting invites, banners and posters for this partnership. Ladies and gentlemen they deserve a round of applause. We also salute provincial government and Central University of Technology staffers for the diligent manner in which they have carried out the task of developing this partnership. We also thank the programme director, and those who are providing catering and melodious music this afternoon.
In conclusion, let me assure you ladies and gentlemen that the Free State government will continue to place a high premium on the success of this historic provincial government and Central University of Technology partnership.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Education, Free State Provincial Government
13 February 2010
Source: Department of Education, Free State Provincial Government (http://fsdoe.fs.gov.za/)
