Pretoria – In South Africa’s quest to produce 30 000 qualified artisans per year by 2030, focus should not just be on meeting this ambitious target - emphasis must be placed on producing high quality artisans capable of meaningfully narrowing the skills gap.
The target is set out in the National Development Plan, the country’s blueprint to end poverty and reduce inequality by 2030. The artisans required, among other critical skills professionals, span across trades that are essential components of the country’s economic development plans.
Higher Education and Training Director-General Gwebinkundla Qonde on Tuesday said the quality of the artisans produced is inalienable from the goal of 30 000 per annum. Currently, South Africa produces approximately 15 000 artisans a year.
“A good artisan training system is not just about numbers, but also requires the production of quality artisans in order to contribute to the lives of individuals, the developmental needs of our economy and the broader society at large.
“The economic development of our country is closely tied to the development and availability of a skilled citizenry,” said Qonde at the National Artisan Development Strategy Conference on Tuesday.
Qonde said he was confident, however, that the required numbers will be produced through the National Artisan Development Strategy. This strategy was initially named the Trade Test Pass Rate and Quality Improvement Strategy, which was released in August 2015 for public comment.
“Based on stakeholder inputs, the Trade Test Pass Rate and Quality Improvement Strategy has been renamed the National Artisan Development Strategy to ensure that this strategy is as comprehensive and holistic as possible, thereby covering all the elements of the artisan development value chain,” said Qonde.
The proposed strategy seeks to establish a national baseline for an integrated national artisan development system, which defines the critical components of artisan development ranging from the artisan training system itself, funding regimes, quality assurance to impact measurement issues.
Getting the educational basics right
Qonde raised concern about South Africa’s performance in mathematics and science compared with other countries, and said both subjects are core to becoming an artisan.
He said producing artisans is not just up to government and the strategy, but requires involvement from several quarters.
“The artisan development system is not just made up of colleges and employers but the value chain includes broad-based stakeholder participation, which this strategy will amplify.”
He said the success of the post-school education and training system, which includes the artisan development system, requires that all these various elements work together in a coordinated manner.
The White Paper for Post-School Education and Training, titled ‘Building an Expanded, Effective and Integrated Post-School System’, was approved by Cabinet in 2013.
The proposals contained in the Artisan Development Strategy Framework are in line with the White Paper requirements for a coordinated and integrated system, which must optimise the synergies that exist within and between the various role players in the post-school education and training system. - SAnews.gov.za
