The Presidential Working Party on Education Reform is collecting views from the public over the next month.
Missing from the process is the future of work, critical in ending unemployment.
What is the essence of reforming an education system if not to imagine a future of work for the learners?
The reform should go beyond addressing infrastructural, financial and governance issues and crack the code as to why many universities are not producing graduates who are ready for the future of work.
Many courses are outdated. Can universities account for the resources they receive, based on the placement of graduates?
The heart of this reform should be to establish a link between reforming the education system and solving the unemployment problem. I call for balance.
We could develop the best infrastructure, governance system and boards but, if we don’t align career prospects with technological advancements, we are compounding the problem.
As the biggest employer, the private sector should heavily participate in the process.
The reform must be dynamic, allow for changes and not be used as a tool for political mileage at learners’ expense. It should suggest how to equip teachers better.
Teachers should be treated not just as TSC employees but as critical enablers and their capacity evaluated using measurable key metrics.
Teacher training should link to the overall impact that they create in learners’ career development. They should be trained to infuse better career preparation in learners for the future of work.
The reform team has a role that is too important for it to be distracted from reality. Most importantly, the collection of views must be inclusive and participatory, treating the vulnerable and marginalised groups equally with the rest.
