One of the five key programmes of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) is the development of human resources. This can be achieved by empowering the people through, among other things, appropriate education and training.
With the establishment of the national Ministry of Education in 1994, the first step was taken to create a new system of education for South Africa.
South Africa's new system of education is a single national system which is largely managed on the basis of nine provincial sub-systems. The national Department of Education is responsible for matters which cannot be regulated effectively by provincial legislation, as well as for matters that need to be coordinated in terms of norms and standards on a national level. It has to prepare government policy on education and training for the country as a whole. The department's role is to promote the translation of the education and training for the country as a whole. The department's role is to promote the translation of the education and training policies of the Government, also those included in the RDP, and the provisions of the Constitution into a national framework within which higher educational institutions and provincial departments can cater for the entire nation's needs to develop its human resources. The new Department of Education and Training Systems and Resources; Education and Training Programmes, and Education and Training Support.
The National Education Policy Bill was passed by the National Assembly on 14 September 1995.
Formal education can be categorised into various sectors and levels. The sectors are public ordinary school education, state-aided ordinary school education, private ordinary school education, special school education, technical college education, teacher training, and technikon and university training. The levels are pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher education.
A National Commission on Higher Education aimed at improving the tertiary education system has been established, so too an Interim Assistance Group to facilitate the transformation of tertiary education. The National Commission on Higher Education drafted a report on a national student financial aid scheme that will assist about 70000 needy university and technikon students.
Post-secondary education includes further education and training - the term refers to education and training which follow compulsory general education or its equivalent, and culminates in a National Higher Certificate. Technical colleges and other institutions offer post-school vocational educational.
South Africa has 21 fully-fledged universities, two of which are mainly non-residential institutions offering distance tuition. Universities offer a large number of degrees and the minimum admission requirement is a Senior Certificate with university endorsement. Technikons provide vocational education on a tertiary level in order to supply the labour market with people who have particular skills and adequate technological and practical knowledge. Students may enroll for certificates or diplomas. The minimum admission requirement is usually a Standard 10 certificate.
The RDP proposes a restructured and expanded training system, which is integrated with Adult Basic Education, post-Standard 7 formal schooling and higher education. Adult basic education as proposed by the RDP aims to provide adults with education and training programmes equivalent to exit level in the formal school system, with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills. A large percentage of the South African population is illiterate. Although much is done by the Government to combat the problem, a report of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) states that only about one per cent of all illiterates are involved in literacy activities annually.
The Manpower Training Act, 1981 (Act 56 of 1981), established the legislative framework for the training policy of the Department of Labour. The Act provides for a National Training Board, training boards for industries, regulation of apprenticeship training, training of unemployed persons, appointment of training advisers and certain other related matters. This Act also provides for the registration of regional, private and industrial training centres.
The Government established a national youth service programme to give young people structures work experience while furthering their education and training. The programme aims to better educate, develop, train and empower the youth. It strives to prepare them to participate in the reconstruction of society through involvement in services projects in the community such as literacy, welfare, and improving infrastructure.
According to the RDP, the reconstruction of education and training requires an overhaul of teacher, educator or trainer training. Statutory national and provincial teacher, educator and trainer development centres should be established to review all relevant education and training curriculum and support services. The RDP aims to establish a transparent, participatory and equitable process to review salaries and conditions of service. This process will lead to the establishment of appropriate career paths, introduce criteria for the recognition and grading of teachers and trainers, and promote professional development within the proposed national qaulifications framework.
The learning needs of children and adults with physical or other
disabilities are another priority of the RDP. Numerous auxilliary
education services are already available. The Association of
Distance Education Colleges (ADEC) has trained some 2 million
people over the past 86 years in skills and jobs. An example of
a service catering for specific needs, is the Braille system which
has been standardised in five African languages for schools for
the blind. Other national educational services include the National
Film Library, the Foundation for Education, Science and Technology,
the directorate for the Evaluation of Teacher Qualification and
Africa Growth Network.
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