Pretoria – Deputy Minister for National Planning and Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency, Buti Manamela, says African challenges cannot be dealt with without academic excellence.
Speaking at the Isibalo Symposium on Monday at Stellenbosch University, the Deputy Minister said development of general knowledge, particularly the statistics on the African continent, is faced with many challenges.
“There are a number of developmental programmes that Africa has led in the past which require to be taken forward as unique African contribution to the global development agenda. This is critical in order to consolidate Africa's common position on post 2015 development agenda and Africa's 2063 Agenda.
“This requires a deliberate process by which African leadership should occupy the space to advance the cause and course of African initiatives. Failure to do so will always lead to Africa being left behind and its ideas stolen and repackaged for use by others,” the Deputy Minister warned.
The Isibalo Symposium seeks to promote intellectual capacity in South Africa and beyond its borders.
The symposium highlighted the work of the Centre for Regional and Urban Innovation and Statistical Exploration (CRUISE), which is housed in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Stellenbosch University, to enhance spatial and statistical knowledge.
Statistics SA and the University of Stellenbosch have since 2009 worked together through CRUISE, providing research and training in urban and regional systems to capacitate public sector, NGOs and international development agencies on the African continent. CRUISE has produced more than 50 Masters graduates in the past four years.
Deputy Minister Manamela said it is by no accident that Stats SA has teamed up with academic institutions in the country to continue to search for what was lost in mathematics and statistics education in the country.
He said the CRUISE Centre is best placed to navigate the space between Stats SA and the University of Stellenbosch in that Stats SA would be in a position to maintain independence from political interference.
“We expect more collaboration between Stats SA and other institutions of higher learning. As we search for academic excellence, we will ensure that methods never trump numbers again in our history.
“That way, Stats SA can appropriately assume a role of being a pathfinder for the nation as search for, and monitor and evaluate, policies that will bring a better life for all,” the Deputy Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
