20 June 2007
The African Competitiveness Report 2007 is neither a "scathing report on
South Africa's education system" nor the source of the statement that South
African school education is worse than school education in Zimbabwe.
Both these statements are to be found in a recent Democratic Alliance (DA)
press release (17 June 2007).
"This is yet another misleading press statement from the DA," said the
Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, today.
She added: "The DA is only concerned about portraying South Africa in a
negative light. Any negative statistic or view is seen as an opportunity to
drag South Africa down."
The African Competitiveness Report 2007 is a joint publication from three
institutions: The World Economic Forum, the World Bank, and the African
Development Bank. The report's aim is to stress the importance of competition
in Africa and to provide the reader "with complementary views about how to
expand opportunities and to increase productivity and growth in Africa."
Out of 128 ranked economies in the Global Competitiveness Index, South
Africa is ranked 46th and Zimbabwe 121st. The overall score is composed of 9
pillars in three groups (basic requirements, efficiency enhancers, innovation
enhancers).
South Africa
Global Competitiveness Index 2007
Overall rank (out of 128): 46
Score (1-7): 4.4
GCR 2005�06 (out of 117 economies)
Overall rank (out of 128): 40
Score (1-7): 4.4
Basic requirements
Overall rank (out of 128): 57
Score (1-7): 4.7
1st pillar: Institutions
Overall rank (out of 128): 31
Score (1-7): 4.8
2nd pillar: Infrastructure
Overall rank (out of 128): 50
Score (1-7): 4.0
3rd pillar: Macroeconomy
Overall rank (out of 128): 48
Score (1-7): 4.7
4th pillar: Health and primary education
Overall rank (out of 128): 106
Score (1-7): 5.1
Efficiency enhancers
Overall rank (out of 128): 45
Score (1-7): 4.2
5th pillar: Higher education and training
Overall rank (out of 128): 57
Score (1-7): 4.2
6th pillar: Market efficiency
Overall rank (out of 128): 34
Score (1-7): 4.7
7th pillar: Technological readiness
Overall rank (out of 128): 44
Score (1-7): 3.9
Innovation enhancers
Overall rank (out of 128): 29
Score (1-7): 4.4
8th pillar: Business sophistication
Overall rank (out of 128): 32
Score (1-7): 4.8
9th pillar: Innovation
Overall rank (out of 128): 29
Score (1-7): 3.9
Global Competitiveness Index 2007
Overall rank (out of 128)
Score (1-7)
Zimbabwe
Global Competitiveness Index 2007
Overall rank (out of 128): 121
Score (1-7): 3.1
GCR 2005�06 (out of 117 economies)
Overall rank (out of 128): 110
Score (1-7): 3.2
Basic requirements
Overall rank (out of 128): 125
Score (1-7): 3.1
1st pillar: Institutions
Overall rank (out of 128): 101
Score (1-7): 3.4
2nd pillar: Infrastructure
Overall rank (out of 128): 101
Score (1-7): 2.4
3rd pillar: Macroeconomy
Overall rank (out of 128): 128
Score (1-7): 2.2
4th pillar: Health and primary education
Overall rank (out of 128): 116
Score (1-7): 4.3
Efficiency enhancers0
Overall rank (out of 128): 108
Score (1-7): 3.0
5th pillar: Higher education and training
Overall rank (out of 128): 99
Score (1-7): 3.1
6th pillar: Market efficiency
Overall rank (out of 128): 115
Score (1-7): 3.5
7th pillar: Technological readiness
Overall rank (out of 128): 110
Score (1-7): 2.5
Innovation enhancers
Overall rank (out of 128): 94
Score (1-7): 3.2
8th pillar: Business sophistication
Overall rank (out of 128): 92
Score (1-7): 3.5
9th pillar: Innovation
Overall rank (out of 128): 94
Score (1-7): 2.9
Education data is used in pillar 4 (health and primary education), pillar 5
(higher education and training) and pillar 9 (innovation).
Pillar 4, 5 and 9 are made up of the following indicators:
South Africa
4th pillar: Health and primary education
Business impact of malaria
Score: 4.6
Ranking: 105
Business impact of tuberculosis
Score: 3.6
Ranking: 118
Business impact of HIV/AIDS
Score: 2.2
Ranking: 124
Infant mortality*
Score: 54.0
Ranking: 96
Life expectancy*
Score: 48.0
Ranking: 115
Tuberculosis incidence*
Score: 669.9
Ranking: 123
Malaria incidence*
Score: 29.9
Ranking: 82
HIV prevalence*
Score: 21.5
Ranking: 125
Primary enrolment*
Score: 89.5
Ranking: 78
5th pillar: Higher education and training
Secondary enrolment*
Score: 90.0
Ranking: 51
Tertiary enrolment*
Score: 15.0
Ranking: 88
Quality of the educational system
Score: 2.8
Ranking: 100
Quality of math and science education
Score: 2.4
Ranking: 120
Quality of management schools
Score: 5.4
Ranking: 19
Local availability of research and training services
Score: 4.7
Ranking: 30
Extent of staff training
Score: 4.9
Ranking: 26
9th pillar: Innovation
Quality of scientific research institutions
Score: 4.8
Ranking: 25
Company spending on R&D
Score: 4.4
Ranking: 24
University-industry research collaboration
Score: 4.3
Ranking: 22
Govt procurement of advanced tech products
Score: 4.2
Ranking: 32
Availability of scientists and engineers
Score: 3.8
Ranking: 95
Utility patents*
Score: 1.8
Ranking: 35
Intellectual property protection
Score: 5.1
Ranking: 26
Capacity for innovation
Score: 3.7
Ranking: 37
Indicators marked with an asterisk are based on hard data drawn from United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Institute for
Statistics, and usually no later than for 2004.
However, those indicators without an asterisk are drawn from survey data.
The "quality of the educational system" and the "quality of math and science
education" indicators are taken from the World Economic Forum Executive Opinion
Survey.
These surveys, conducted annually, provide the core qualitative ingredient
of the competitiveness report. They capture the perceptions of leading business
executives.
It is well known that South Africa faces many challenges in education. For
example, South Africa has moved from an elite to a mass-based schooling system.
For this reason alone comparisons between South Africa and Zimbabwe should be
made with caution. The secondary enrolment of 90% for South Africa and 36% for
Zimbabwe illustrates the selective nature of the Zimbabwean system.
Furthermore, it is difficult to compare our 22 universities with Zimbabwe's
one. South Africa scores impressively on the innovation pillar.
"I suggest that before the DA rushes in where angels fear to tread, they
follow the World Economic Forum's advice and read the guide to the
competitiveness profiles carefully," said the Minister.
Enquiries:
Lunga Ngqengelele
Ministerial Spokesperson
Tel: 012 312 5538
Cell: 082 566 0446
E-mail: ngqengelele.l@doe.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Education
20 June 2007
