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Cape Town - A "Marshall plan" is in place to help mop up young people who have been unable to find decent employment over a protracted period, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande has told parliament.
In reply to a question from Willie Madisha, a Cope MP, Nzimande said the department wanted to ensure - through this South African version of the Marshall Plan - that young people are equipped with “required proficiencies to find employment”.
The foundation for his optimism is the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training which was launched on January 16. It provided the framework for building “an expanded, effective and integrated post-school education and training system".
“Students enrolled in technical and vocational colleges were compelled to undertake subjects such as English first additional language, mathematics, mathematical literacy and life skills which included information technology,” the minister said.
At universities “first year experience initiatives” were in place. This included “considerable expansion and development of writing centres, tutorial systems and mentoring support for students”.
The department had made available teaching development grants to all universities to promote students’ proficiency in verbal and written communication, numeracy, information technology, examination preparation “as well as problem solving”.
The country’s adult education and training centres provided “a second chance for young people to complete their schooling”, reported the minister.
The original Marshall Plan - which ran for four years from 1948 - was the American initiative to aid Europe after the Second World War. It was named after then US Secretary of State George Marshall.
In reply to a question from Willie Madisha, a Cope MP, Nzimande said the department wanted to ensure - through this South African version of the Marshall Plan - that young people are equipped with “required proficiencies to find employment”.
The foundation for his optimism is the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training which was launched on January 16. It provided the framework for building “an expanded, effective and integrated post-school education and training system".
“Students enrolled in technical and vocational colleges were compelled to undertake subjects such as English first additional language, mathematics, mathematical literacy and life skills which included information technology,” the minister said.
At universities “first year experience initiatives” were in place. This included “considerable expansion and development of writing centres, tutorial systems and mentoring support for students”.
The department had made available teaching development grants to all universities to promote students’ proficiency in verbal and written communication, numeracy, information technology, examination preparation “as well as problem solving”.
The country’s adult education and training centres provided “a second chance for young people to complete their schooling”, reported the minister.
The original Marshall Plan - which ran for four years from 1948 - was the American initiative to aid Europe after the Second World War. It was named after then US Secretary of State George Marshall.
