Pretoria – Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe says much more needs to be done to mobilise all the resources within for the task of producing quality education for both teachers and learners.
“Only a sound and quality education system with strong emphasis on mathematics and science can serve as a reliable feeder for tertiary institutions, which will in turn be able to produce top-notch graduates geared to the needs of the country,” he said.
Speaking at the Science, Technology and Innovation Summit held in Limpopo on Saturday, Motlanthe said government was relying on social partnership and continued dialogue among all stakeholders to ensure an improved education system responsive to the needs of the country.
Recently government launched the National Education Collaboration Trust aimed at improving quality of education.
The initiative represented collaboration between government and non-governmental organisations, labour, parents, business and other education stakeholders.
Motlanthe said under-utilisation of existing research institutes by government often led to wasteful expenditure in that each government department commissioned research in common areas.
“In essence, through the National Development Plan, government has laid out the parameters within which each social partner can make a contribution towards the achievement of our shared vision.
“This shared vision entails the reduction of poverty, stimulating economic growth, effecting economic transformation and creating employment,” Motlanthe said.
The summit was convened to strengthen the partnership between the government, the private sector, higher education institutions, science councils and small and medium enterprises, thus enhancing the coordination of the National System of Innovation (NSI).
The need to strengthen coordination and coherence between these sectors in the NSI was identified by the Ministerial Review Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Landscape in South Africa.
Stakeholders at the summit also had an opportunity to discuss how local institutions can become preferred research and development destinations for local and international firms.
The summit also enabled stakeholders to explore ways in which STI can play a role in shaping the future of South Africa, realising the vision for 2030 espoused by the National Development Plan, and showing how STI can contribute to economic growth and competiveness, as well as social progress, as envisaged in the New Growth Path. – SAnews.gov.za
