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Economic Development

Education: the missing piece of the puzzle?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:26

By Liza van Wyk

“Our education and training system should be the cornerstone of all efforts to radically transform South Africa and build a truly non-racial, non-sexist democratic, united and prosperous society,” President Jacob Zuma said recently at his party centenary celebrations and annual policy statement in Mangaung, Free State province.

The president is spot on. In an era when investing in the production of knowledge is vital to our country’s future, we should all applaud the president when he concluded: “As we move into the future, we shall invest hugely in and elevate the importance of theoretical and ideological work as well as a scientific approach to analysing and solving problems.”

Here is why education is the foundation and cornerstone of a prosperous nation: Education is a ladder of progress to a nation and without it there is no way to create a vibrant society. It is a base for nation building and achieving a prosperous future for our country.

When nations face catastrophic dilemmas and crises, both economically and politically, the most basic of hopes comes in the next generation of leaders. This country, and all others, must continue to devote resources and energy in providing the proper education and everything else will fall into place.

In this competitive and innovative age, government investment in education is not just a nicety but a macroeconomic necessity. What we need most as a nation is an investment in the human capital of our people, an investment crucial to our generation's future economy. That investment must and should be in education.

If we do not also address our education gaps and concomitant malaises, sustained economic growth, no matter what incentives we offer business development, job creation, local and international businesses, will never be realised.

The fundamental first step toward eliminating socio-economic and political challenges is a strong early childhood support for all our kids. With that foundation, everything else follows.

Everything known about education and later adaptive behaviour and social and emotional functioning starts at the young age and later helps a person to succeed in school and in life.

Early childhood education should be followed by a heavy investment in high school, tertiary education, mentoring and of course skills development during a person’s working life.

Higher education and university education is essential to nation-building because it responds to global developments and challenges. It plays the key role in the formation of professionally competent, service-oriented, principled, and productive citizens. Through its functions of teaching, research, and service, higher and university education is a prime mover of any nation’s socio-economic growth and sustainable development and in creating a sense of unity and in building national consciousness.

During high and university education and working life we all need mentors. Pupils, students and employees need mentors in their lives in whom they can put their trust and faith.

Mentorship comes not only in service-oriented programmes and but also in basic, everyday consideration and interest in a person’s life as well as in role models. Honest and humble devotion by mentors will teach everyone, students and workers, how to value life.

Today's business world requires a very strong commitment from its employees, and an equally strong commitment from their employers in the form of education and skills development programmes. By integrating continuing education into companies of tomorrow.

Indeed, after we have invested in early childhood, high school and tertiary education, companies should continue to invest in employee education.

It is employees who execute the day-to-day business activities that produce those profits and growth. Without competitive, well-trained employees, businesses, companies and corporations won’t be able to remain on the cutting edge in tomorrow's business world, no matter what programmes they implement. As margins erode and it is becoming more difficult to find highly trained employees, today's red hot competitive marketplace requires organisations to constantly adjust to the rapidly changing world.

There is also a great need for continuing education because of the rate at which knowledge becomes outdated because of innovation. So we have to constantly educate our employees and ourselves to meet the new, increasing demands of business.

So let us support President Zuma’ view to invest in education as an educated nation will increase our ability to deal with innovation. Investing in education and skills will make South Africa better able to weather the storms of future technological changes.

For all of us, parents, politicians and workers, education should not just be another arrow in a quiver of policy proposals, but a primary weapon, the great claymore, to fight a host all current and future societal ills.

All of us, not political and business leaders alike must teach; must strive for excellence and believe in education because education is good. Without it, we will one day no longer be able to compete. Not just in intellectual contests, but most of all in business. We will be trapped on the bottom floor never able to climb the ladder of socio, political and economic success.

Liza van Wyk is CEO of skills development training organisations, AstroTech and BizTech. 0861 AstroTech