Post-apartheid South Africa has made immeasurable progress, with many leaps and bounds having been made over the last 30 years. And yet, we have not made enough progress to ensure equitable access to quality education for young learners – especially the kind that equips them for a rapidly changing world. South Africa risks falling behind in the global innovation race if our school curriculum does not prepare young people to thrive in a knowledge economy. Learners need to be empowered with skills to become innovators and entrepreneurs that can drive economic development in the 21st century.
What are 21st-century skills and competencies?
There is varying language to express the collection of skills necessary for the future, and a common, widely accepted definition for South Africa’s context does not exist. In general, 21st-century skills are a breadth of skills that are seen as essential for supporting livelihoods in the future, aiming for well-rounded citizens with useful knowledge to last their lifetime. These skills include communication, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving, among others; digital skills are considered implicit in this group.
In 2022, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) embarked on a curriculum-strengthening process through extensive public consultations with a range of stakeholders, including policymakers, teachers, unions, government officials, civil society, academics and learners themselves. “The Framework will guide the process of infusing competencies across five levers for change: Curriculum Policy, Teacher Development, Learning Environment, Assessment and LTSM, with the focus placed on competency-infused Curricula.” [1]
This draft framework signals the DBE’s commitment to strengthening the curriculum and enhancing its ability to equip learners with sustainable skills and competencies for effective transition from school to higher education, work and entrepreneurial opportunities.
In a similar vein, the department’s DBE-E3 initiative aims to prepare pupils to flourish in a rapidly evolving world by cultivating entrepreneurial mindsets and skills. The programme presents an opportunity to develop a common vision of what learners exhibiting 21st-century skills can potentially look like.
Challenges to the implementation of 21st-century skills
One major challenge lies in the lack of a common understanding and vision of 21st-century skills between stakeholders on the supply side (government and educational institutions) and the demand side (private sector). A coordinated effort is essential for South Africa to nurture future-ready learners.
The private sector, which represents the demand for these skills as a primary employer of skilled individuals, has a big role to play in influencing the educational direction of South Africa. Currently, we typically see the private sector stepping in to provide services in underserved schools through infrastructure, learning materials and interventions such as adequate sanitation and feeding schemes. These initiatives are extremely important, and we cannot overstate the need for them to continue. However, involvement in setting the agenda for 21st-century skills development is also crucial. By clearly stating the skills needed in South African industries, the private sector can help shape education to better prepare students for their future jobs and lives. Both sectors need to work together to create a shared vision for young people to reach their full potential.
The importance of collaboration
In our experience, dialogue between actors is critical for surfacing different and opposing views. Through collaborating in new and different ways, stakeholders with a common purpose but differing interests can find common ground. This method encourages genuine engagement and the co-creation of solutions. In this instance, there exists a common purpose—enabling learners to thrive in the future—and we have an opportunity to establish a common language between private and public sectors to understand the investments needed for young people today.
There are a number of impactful examples of collaborative initiatives between the government and the private sector that are bearing fruit. Consider the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, a South African initiative that addresses youth unemployment by connecting young people with job opportunities. Harambee has successfully fostered dialogue between various stakeholders, including government, educational institutions, and private sector companies. Through collaborative efforts, Harambee has helped thousands of young South Africans get jobs by teaching them the skills employers want. This shows how working together can lead to success.
Bridging the gap to 21st-century skills
Since January 2022, Save the Children South Africa (SCSA), has worked to create an enabling environment for broader skills to be meaningfully integrated into education systems through the Bridging the Gap project[2]. To support a shift from commitment to implementation in education systems, SCSA, in collaboration with JET Education Services, published this report with insights and recommendations from advocacy activities, including, but not limited to:
- Developing a levers of change scoping study.
- Supporting partnership engagements with stakeholders.
- Preparing knowledge-sharing events.
- Providing research support to the DBE[3].
It is from the foundation of this project that current advocacy activities emerge. The Bridging the Gap project unites many voices and stakeholders in education to promote 21st-century skills, helping learners become socially and economically successful citizens.
The project aims to develop strategies for encouraging robust dialogue and to surface stronger communication channels that provide clarity of what is needed in both the public and private spheres.
Advocating for 21st-century skills on both sides
Save the Children South Africa has been working on creating an enabling environment for holistic skills development in the South African education system. By bringing stakeholders across the education ecosystem, private sector and government together and creating the space for robust dialogue between the different spheres, the organisation aims to promote better alignment and a common agenda that centers learners.
Continuous dialogue between the private sector, government and schools will help develop a common narrative on what to invest in for young people, leading to clearer roles for all sides. The voices of business, industry and employers can help ensure that the skills taught in schools align with the skills that young people need to successfully enter and participate in successful economic futures. This can highlight key areas for improvement, unlock flashpoints for change, and provide valuable insights for developing policies.
The private sector needs to take a bigger role in shaping education, so the government knows what’s missing in graduates. Meanwhile, the public sector should invest in developing these skills in a systemic and holistic way to meet industry needs.
Through coordinated efforts and open communication, we can bridge the gap to creating an education system that truly prepares young South Africans for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century and launches them into successful futures in industry, entrepreneurial settings, and life after school.
Other links of interest
- Save the Children South Africa education work.
- Save the Children South Africa and JET Education Services Bridging the Gap Levers of Change Report.
- Reos education system work.
By Linet Kimathi, as a representative of the Bridging the Gap advocacy group and in collaboration with Shahana Bhabha, Kristal Duncan-Williams and James Donald.
[1] Source: https://www.education.gov.za/ArchivedDocuments/ArchivedArticles/Improving-learning-outcomes-through-curriculum-strengthening-0923.aspx
[2] Through the Bridging the Gap project, Save the Children South Africa worked in partnership across five countries (South Korea, India, Kenya, South Africa and Colombia) to raise skills-based education, including the transformative power of playful learning, up the political agenda and support a shift from commitment to implementation in education systems.
[3] Source: Bridging the Gap: Levers of Change scoping report – Breadth of skills and teacher development
