The current matric pass rate is an indication that a silent revolution is taking place in South African schools, President Ramaphosa told Members of Parliament when he delivered his 2023 State of the Nation Address.
We should be applauding the 80% pass rate, which is a composite of improved results from all provinces. “The share of bachelor passes in no-fee schools improved to 64%. The performance of learners from poorer schools is steadily improving,” which is indicative of the level of investment the government has poured into the sector, he said.
President Ramaphosa revealed that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is streamlining requirements for early childhood development (ECD) centres, a function that recently moved from social development to the DBE. “It is therefore significant that the number of children who receive the ECD subsidy has more than doubled,” he said.
The government is also expanding vocational education and training systems through the implementation of the approved curriculum of the three-stream model. “This year, government plans to finalise the Comprehensive Student Funding model in order to reach the students outside NSFAS [National Student Financial Aid Scheme] criteria, known as the missing middle.”
He told Members of Parliament that 10 000 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) graduates were placed in jobs, a number that the government will look to double this year. The government therefore repeated its call to companies, departments and SOEs to remove the requirement for work experience for young people seeking entry-level positions.
“Last year, we said that we would place over 10 000 TVET college graduates in employment. We have surpassed that figure and have now set a target for 2023 of 20 000 TVET graduates to be placed in employment.”
Furthermore, the number of students entering artisan training in TVET colleges will be increased from 17 000 to 30 000 in the 2023 academic year. “One of the key ingredients for economic growth and competitiveness is the ability to attract skills which the economy needs.”
Having now completed a comprehensive review of the work visa system, the government will move quickly to implement its recommendations. These include establishing a more flexible points-based system to attract skilled immigration, implementing a trusted employer scheme to make the visa process easier for large investors and streamlining application requirements.
By Sibongile Maputi
10 February 2023
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