SOUTH AFRICA-EDUCATION: A NEW SYSTEM FOR ALL IN THE OFFING

• by IPS Correspondents (johannesburg)
• Friday, November 25, 1994
• Inter Press Service

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 25 (IPS) - SOUTH AFRICA'S FORMERLY SEGREGATED EDUCATION SYSTEM IS SET TO UNDERGO MAJOR RESTRUCTURING TO ADDRESS PAST IMBALANCES AND MAKE LEARNING ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.

THE VISION OF AN ENTIRELY NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN FINELY-HONED IN AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) AND OTHER POLICY THINK-TANKS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS AND, DESPITE INITIAL DELAYS, HOPES ARE RISING THAT IT WILL SOON BE IMPLEMENTED.

CENTRAL TO THE NEW SCHEME IS THE INTEGRATION OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, WHICH ENTAILS A RADICAL SHIFT IN LEARNING CONCEPTS. NOT ONLY WILL EDUCATION BECOME MORE SKILLS-BASED, BUT THE SYSTEM WILL BE FAR MORE FLEXIBLE.

IT ENVISAGES THAT ALL SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE ACCESS TO LIFE-LONG LEARNING, AND THOSE WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN DENIED OPPORTUNITIES, WILL GET ANOTHER CHANCE.

'FROM STREETSWEEPER TO ENGINEER' IS THE CLICHE ILLUSTRATING HOW A SYSTEM PROMOTING LIFE-LONG LEARNING COULD FACILITATE GROWTH OF DEPRIVED PEOPLE WHO NEED NOT WITHDRAW FROM THE ECONOMY TO IMPROVE THEIR EDUCATION AND INCREASE THEIR SKILLS.

A NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORK WILL SET STANDARDS, ACCREDITING LEARNING AT SCHOOLS, HOMES AND THE WORKPLACE AS LONG AS CURRICULA CONFORM TO NATIONALLY-SET STANDARDS.

EMPLOYERS, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOS), THE RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (RDP) OFFICE, AND MINISTRIES OF FINANCE AND LABOUR WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM.

"WE ARE TALKING NOT JUST OF A CULTURE OF LEARNING FOR SCHOOLS, BUT FOR LIFE," SAYS ADRIENNE BIRD OF THE NATIONAL TRAINING BOARD, WHICH IS STEERING THE INTEGRATION PROCESS.

"WE HAVE TO MOVE AWAY FROM FUNDAMENTAL PEDAGOGICS TO A MORE MODERN LEARNING CULTURE, WHERE EMPHASIS WILL BE ON LEARNING OUTCOMES -- NOT ON THE ROUTE TAKEN TO GET THERE. LEARNERS CANNOT ALL GO TO 'SUBURB' INSTITUTIONS. PEOPLE MUST GET CREDIT FOR LEARNING IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS."

BUT SEVERAL FACTORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO A GROWING CYNICISM THAT THE VISION FOR A NEW SYSTEM WILL DIE ON THE PAGES OF YELLOWING POLICY DOCUMENTS.

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