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Media Release

16 August, 2005


WCED gears up to develop human capital

Statement by Cameron Dugmore, MEC for Education in the Western Cape

THE WESTERN CAPE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT (WCED) plans to re-design the department to ensure that it can meet the objectives of the province’s Human Capital Development Strategy. The strategy is a key component of the provincial government’s iKapa Elihlumayo strategy to "grow and share the Cape".

Key objectives of the re-design include improving service delivery, accelerating employment equity and achieving the educational outcomes required by the national curriculum.

The WCED developed the Human Capital Development Strategy after extensive consultation with all sectors of the education community over the past two years. The strategy looks at what is required to ensure that education builds the human capital needed to ensure social and economic development in the Western Cape in the medium to long term.

The strategy focuses on the youth and sets clear targets for every phase of education, from early childhood development to general, further and adult education and training. The WCED is basing its long-term strategic planning on the document.

We now have to ask ourselves whether the WCED is geared to meeting the objectives of the strategy. While we have restructured extensively in recent years, the Human Capital Strategy presents new challenges and we have to be ready to meet them.

The context in which we are working includes growing unemployment, poverty and inequality. We have a poor skills base, and many school graduates have to re-educate themselves to retain employment or develop entrepreneurial skills. Far too many learners drop out of school while others are not performing at levels expected in the system.

On the bright side, we have well-developed infra-structure, which can be used as a basis for further improvement. Our education system is the primary source of future growth and development, and must prepare our youth for participation in a democratic society and develops knowledge, skills, values and attitudes on a high level.

We now emphasise further, higher and vocational education and training, accurate information on economic development requirements, increased opportunities for race and gender equity, and generally well-trained and skilled educators.

Other demands include national and internal policy developments, ongoing organisational reviews, renewed mandates, the need to accelerate employment equity, and the need for effective communication at all levels.

We need new skills to meet changing operational requirements and clear accountability and quality assurance systems. We have to have structures in place to develop and apply policy coherently. We have to allocate staff effectively and address the issue of staff morale.

Ron Swartz, the Head of Education in the Western Cape, will drive the review and re-design process, with the support of WCED project teams, an external service provider and the Directorate of Organisational Development in the Department of the Premier.

The WCED plans to implement the project in four phases. Phase 1, lasting three months, will involve starting up the project and planning the re-design intervention.

Phase 2 will involve analysing current design of the WCED in the light of the Human Capital Development Strategy, and identifying areas needing improvement to ensure that the department can meet the objectives of the strategy. This will take a further three months.

Phase 3 will involve organisational re-design, over nine months, followed by implementation in Phase 4, which is expected to begin by late March 2007.

Methodologies will include benchmarking, to ensure best practice, desktop research, interviews, systems analysis, workshops, and policy analysis and development.

Fortunately, the WCED already reflects best practice in many respects. However, we have a long way to go before we can be satisfied that we are providing quality education for all. This project will contribute significantly to making this possible.

For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi: 082 550 3938, or gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za.


Issued by:
Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Secretary
Office of the MEC for Education
Western Cape
E-mail: gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689

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