THE release of matric results will no doubt trigger speculation about the future of the Class of 2011.
Whatever the outcome of the speculation, what is certain is that this signifies a new start of a post-school journey.
Irrespective of class or geographical location, South Africans anxiously and excitedly await the new beginnings.
In 2010, when Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced the results, the nation welcomed changes and progress made in turning around our education system.
The analysis clearly showed that our challenges have a long history. To overcome them, we need a sustained sense of hope and a belief in our ability to win beyondexpectations.
The starting point is to reaffirm the Class of 2011 learner in terms of resilience, discipline and perseverance.
It is common knowledge that many learners acquire these attributes in the context of infrastructure-related challenges.
These include walking long distances on gravel roads, poor infrastructure in terms of classroom architecture and lack of water and sanitary services, especially in our rural schools.
Many come from poverty-stricken families, where the only guaranteed meal, for the day, might be government-sponsored. Others survived gender-based violence and other personal threats in our schools on a daily basis.
At the end of each race there are different categories of winners.
- Firstly, there will be those who will be welcomed in our institutions of higher learning.
The government has allocated more than R37-billion for all deserving poor students to access post-school education. We have also set aside a budget for disabled students. There is a concerted effort to attract learners from rural communities.
Obviously, policy strategies to overcome inequalities in education require far more than just monetary resources.
As Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande remarked in the department's strategy plan: "Never before in the history of our democracy have we been better positioned to advance the vision of a truly comprehensive and differentiated post-school system, which is capable of contributing to the lives of individuals, to the economy and to a broader society."
The post-school plan has been informed by the Ford Foundation research, which revealed that there are more than three million young people who are neither at work nor at school.
The renewal of career guidance and college education is a response to the urgency of the need for inclusivity.
- Secondly, the college route opens an alternative to direct university entrance. The students who do not meet university admissions criteria fall within the second category of winners.
They need to urgently approach any of our Further Education and Training (FET) colleges.
Those who are poor, but meet the necessary admission requirements, would be fully funded.
The big question for our youth is, what is the promise of the widened education pipeline or opportunities?
Entry, at college level, is not an end in itself. It is an opportunity to master a career, get work experience. College education can be used to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to securing a sustainable and a decent job, as an employee or as an entrepreneur.
More often than not, the curriculum allows migration from the college to the knowledge-based university or the university oftechnology.
During 2011, the Department of Higher Education presented the highly articulated and differentiated post-school education system to different stakeholders, including organised labour and business.
We can claim victory that, in the process of our insistence for change in education, we began to hear many voices talking to one goal: access to quality education.
The Sector Education and Training Authorities, academics and many other providers, initiated a process of aligning their strategies with a new vision.
Our innovative education policy direction calls for a social dialogue. We expect our youth and our learners to be in the forefront of the social dialogue on education for the future.
There can be no such discussion without a special reference to our leaders, such as our founding president Nelson Mandela. He referred to education as the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world.
Our call to all our young people is that for them to shape their future, realistically, they should explore all available education options. They should understand there is not a single educational route to success.
Much as we tend to lay strong emphasis on education for skills development and economic participation, we are also committed to education for transformation and equality.
Education is crucial for a citizenry enlightened in the values of our Constitution.
- Mkhize is Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training
Many educational routes lead to future success
THE release of matric results will no doubt trigger speculation about the future of the Class of 2011.
Whatever the outcome of the speculation, what is certain is that this signifies a new start of a post-school journey.
Irrespective of class or geographical location, South Africans anxiously and excitedly await the new beginnings.
In 2010, when Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga announced the results, the nation welcomed changes and progress made in turning around our education system.
The analysis clearly showed that our challenges have a long history. To overcome them, we need a sustained sense of hope and a belief in our ability to win beyondexpectations.
The starting point is to reaffirm the Class of 2011 learner in terms of resilience, discipline and perseverance.
It is common knowledge that many learners acquire these attributes in the context of infrastructure-related challenges.
These include walking long distances on gravel roads, poor infrastructure in terms of classroom architecture and lack of water and sanitary services, especially in our rural schools.
Many come from poverty-stricken families, where the only guaranteed meal, for the day, might be government-sponsored. Others survived gender-based violence and other personal threats in our schools on a daily basis.
At the end of each race there are different categories of winners.
The government has allocated more than R37-billion for all deserving poor students to access post-school education. We have also set aside a budget for disabled students. There is a concerted effort to attract learners from rural communities.
Obviously, policy strategies to overcome inequalities in education require far more than just monetary resources.
As Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande remarked in the department's strategy plan: "Never before in the history of our democracy have we been better positioned to advance the vision of a truly comprehensive and differentiated post-school system, which is capable of contributing to the lives of individuals, to the economy and to a broader society."
The post-school plan has been informed by the Ford Foundation research, which revealed that there are more than three million young people who are neither at work nor at school.
The renewal of career guidance and college education is a response to the urgency of the need for inclusivity.
They need to urgently approach any of our Further Education and Training (FET) colleges.
Those who are poor, but meet the necessary admission requirements, would be fully funded.
The big question for our youth is, what is the promise of the widened education pipeline or opportunities?
Entry, at college level, is not an end in itself. It is an opportunity to master a career, get work experience. College education can be used to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to securing a sustainable and a decent job, as an employee or as an entrepreneur.
More often than not, the curriculum allows migration from the college to the knowledge-based university or the university oftechnology.
During 2011, the Department of Higher Education presented the highly articulated and differentiated post-school education system to different stakeholders, including organised labour and business.
We can claim victory that, in the process of our insistence for change in education, we began to hear many voices talking to one goal: access to quality education.
The Sector Education and Training Authorities, academics and many other providers, initiated a process of aligning their strategies with a new vision.
Our innovative education policy direction calls for a social dialogue. We expect our youth and our learners to be in the forefront of the social dialogue on education for the future.
There can be no such discussion without a special reference to our leaders, such as our founding president Nelson Mandela. He referred to education as the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world.
Our call to all our young people is that for them to shape their future, realistically, they should explore all available education options. They should understand there is not a single educational route to success.
Much as we tend to lay strong emphasis on education for skills development and economic participation, we are also committed to education for transformation and equality.
Education is crucial for a citizenry enlightened in the values of our Constitution.
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