Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma has
urged the private sector to partner with government in a campaign to produce at
least 30 000 artisans by 2030.
The programme is being driven
by the Higher Education and Training Department with Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana, this week, saying millions of rands had been put aside by
government to train artisans.
President Zuma, who
was replying to a two-day debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA), on Friday, emphasised that government will continue
to prioritise education in the current administration.
Accelerated Schools
Infrastructure Development Initiative
He noted that many
state-of-the-art schools were being built as part of the Accelerated Schools
Infrastructure Development Initiative (ASIDI), a national programme that
addresses infrastructure backlogs in the country, especially the inappropriate,
unsafe and mud schools.
The programme includes
the provision of basic services to schools where there are none such as the
provision of water, sanitation and electricity. The first phase of the
programme targeted the building of 49 schools. As at 15 November 2013, 40
schools had been completed.
The first school completed, Mphathiswa Primary in Libode District,
was officially handed over by the President to the community in October
2012.
The programme to hand over
one ASIDI school per week to communities in the Eastern Cape was
thereafter launched by the Minister of Basic Education in July 2013. Since
then, various Ministers, Premiers, Deputy Ministers and MECs have been deployed to hand over the new schools to
communities. The programme will continue until the end of this
year.
Two schools have also
been completed in the Western Cape, while 12 remaining ones are at various
stages of construction in the province.
The Department of
Basic Education has now identified just fewer than 100 schools that do not
offer Mathematics in Grade 12, and government was working with provinces to
ensure that all schools offer Mathematics as a subject.
All posts for
mathematics, science and accounting teachers and subject advisers would be
filled as a matter of urgency in all provinces.
Govt investing in
science, technology
Government was investing in
science and technology training and research development. From 2015, the
Department of Science and Technology will invest an additional R400 million per annum to
support postgraduate students in fields related to science, technology and
innovation to guide and build a human capital development pipeline towards a
doctoral qualification.
Centres of excellence
in universities
The department has also
established centres of excellence in the universities of Witwatersrand,
Pretoria, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch and KwaZulu-Natal.
The centres of
excellence have been established in areas that will assist government to
address several priority areas including mining, child development, food security,
energy and evidence-based decision making.
“Indeed, looking back
over the past 14 years it is clear that we have made tremendous strides in
addressing access to basic services such as water, energy, waste, sanitation,
transport, and human settlements at a local government level. We have a good
story to tell.
“We will work with
municipalities to harness the potential and ensure that every municipal becomes
a thriving service delivery centre for our people.”
President Zuma also
said municipalities will also be assisted with revenue collection strategies
and to improve governance through the establishment of functional
accountability and oversight structures and system, such as the Municipal
Public Accounts Committees and Audit Committees.
The purpose of the
support will be to ensure that all municipalities are able to provide simple
services such as providing lights and water, cutting grass, ensure functioning
street and traffic lights, consistent refuse removal and credible billing for
services.
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