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Keynote Address by Deputy Minister Derek Hanekom, at the Capitec Bank Career Planning Conference
2004-08-24 08:15
Witbank
Deputy Minister
False
Keynote Address Given by the Honourable Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Derek Hanekom, at the Capitec Bank Career Planning Conference in Witbank 24 August 2004 Programme Director The management of provincial Departments The Project Director of GiDE, Mr Kgupi Gunguluza Donors and sponsors, notably Sentech, Capitec Bank, Bhp Billiton and Acca, who are sponsoring this conference Educators Learners Dignitaries Ladies and Gentlemen It is a privilege and honour to be a guest speaker at your conference. The theme of your conference is particularly relevant as it is aimed at promoting and exposing our youth to careers in science, engineering and technology. This is one area that is critical to the development of human resources required for socio-economic development. It is a well-known fact that Career Guidance is one of the most neglected areas in our schooling system. As a result, most of our youth leave the schooling system without knowing which careers to follow and how to apply for further studies or jobs. This is worse in the fields of science, engineering and technology. This state of affairs is about to change as the new curriculum framework for schools has “Life Orientation” as a compulsory subject. Unlike Career Guidance which was a non-examinable subject, Life Orientation is a credit-bearing subject with a career focused learning outcome. This learning outcome requires of all learners to demonstrate self-knowledge and the ability to make informed decisions regarding further studies, career fields and career-pathing. Thus Life Orientation is an important inter-disciplinary subject that draws on and integrates knowledge, values, skills and processes. It promotes responsible citizenship and a productive life. More importantly it equips learners with knowledge and skills to make informed decisions and choices about their careers in a rapidly changing society. This conference could not have come at a better time. It is designed to provide our youth with opportunities to access quality information about future careers; especially in areas of scarce skills for the South African economy. It will go a long way towards equipping our learners with life skills such as the writing of curriculum vitae, applying for work and accessing quality information through the most advanced technologies in a globalising world. ` The Department of Science and Technology views career guidance seriously. To cite an example, we utilise events such as the annual National Science Week, expos and camps to promote careers in science, engineering, mathematics and technology. More importantly, we have developed career booklets. These booklets were distributed to schools through the network we established with the Department of Education. The challenge, however, is to expand the pool of our youth who benefit from these programmes. Currently the Department of Science and Technology is developing a framework for a network of science centres in South Africa. The science centre network will offer extensive career guidance and awareness programmes as well as other curriculum support programmes. Through the collaboration agreement which the Departments of Science and Technology, and Education signed in July 2004, we will be able to work collaboratively on programmes aimed at recruiting more of our youth into science, engineering, mathematics and technology. The Deputy Minister of Education and I have already agreed on steps to strengthen that collaboration through coordinated efforts and activities. Thus the intention of Government to speed up delivery through integrated and collaborative efforts is beginning to bear fruit in mathematics, science and technology education. The presence of the leadership from the provincial Department of Education and educators and learners at this conference bears testimony to this fact. Partnerships with the private sector and non-Governmental Organisations also enhance our potential to speed up delivery; particularly in priority areas identified by Government. Programme Director, allow me to focus my speech on a sector aptly targeted by this conference: the youth. In 2000 Government published a National Youth Policy Framework which describes youth as citizens who are between 14 and 35 years of age. I want to assume that most, if not all, of those who are attending this conference fall within this category. The recent research findings reveal a disturbing picture about our youth. Two-thirds of them have completed more than nine years of schooling but are unemployed or lack meaningful employment opportunities. This problem is greatest in the poorest provinces: more specifically among Africans and women. We must arrest this insidious slide towards a potentially disastrous future. The best way to achieve this goal is by equipping our youth with the right skills, knowledge and attitude. Gone are the days of dependency and guarantees. Learned people are slowly being replaced by life-long learners. Problem-solving skills are replacing memorisation of facts. In short, life requires a new set of skills. Let us expose our youth to these skills. I am reliably told that this conference will attract about 1 000 top learners in Mpumalanga. Chosen by their career guidance teachers, these learners have all excelled in Mathematics and Science. They will be exposed to career options, bursaries and internship opportunities. The invited speakers, who include high profile delegates from Government Departments and sponsors will share their knowledge and experience with the learners. Learners will also attend an exhibition where they will be exposed to programmes and courses offered by tertiary institutions as well as bursaries for successful candidates. In short, learners will receive valuable information that will enable them to make decisions about their future careers. I wish to take this opportunity to thank GiDE (Gem Interactive Development) for taking a lead in facilitating the hosting of this conference. You have planted a seed of growth and prosperity. I advise all educators present at this conference to replicate this career guidance in your schools. In other words, this conference must be more than an event. It must be the beginning of a new wave of promoting career awareness and guidance among our youth. I hope that the relationship the Department of Science and Technology already has with GiDE will grow from strength to strength. I am looking forward to more involvement from not only GiDE but other organisations, institutions and Departments which share the goals of the Department of Science and Technology. The goals which are reflected in its annual National Science Week events as well as programmes to be offered by the envisaged network of science centers. Programme Director, allow me to identify subtle challenges we need to address if we are to succeed in laying a solid foundation for a bright future for our youth. Youth are not the same. They are as diverse as our rainbow nation. We have youth who are disabled. We also have youth who have been affected by a number of socio-economic problems. For example we have in our midst those who have suffered sexual violence and need a comprehensive learner support system. We have those whose education has been disrupted by early pregnancies. We have those who are in constant conflict with the law. We also have those who are infected and affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. This poses a number of challenges to those who wish to develop and effectively implement career awareness and guidance programmes. We need to structure our programmes to target these different groupings of our youth. And this requires of us to know and understand the problems facing our youth. No single solution can solve all youth problems. Multiple strategies need to work in tandem if we are to arrest what I described above as a slide towards a potentially disastrous future. In conclusion, Programme Director, I want to thank specifically Sentech and Capitec Bank for hosting this career planning conference with a pursuit to equip our learners with quality information to prepare them for further education. Without the cooperation of the provincial Department of Education this conference would not have materialised. I wish to extend warm regards to them. Educators and learners, you are the main players in this event. Thank you for having chosen to come and spend the time at this conference. It is not time wasted. All those who have supported this conference receive my heartfelt wishes. Last but not least, the conference would not have run smoothly without the able skills of the two, very able Programme Directors. I wish you good luck in your activities. I thank you. |
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