NYC - NYC Policy

8.1 EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Education and training is a major priority in the development of young men and women, not simply because young people are often connected to the education system, but because it is through education and training that young women and men can be better prepared for life. The personal development of the individual young person, along with the development of local communities and the country as a whole is inextricably linked to the provision of quality, relevant and well managed education and training.
The legacy of apartheid and the effects of Bantu Education have left this sector with an urgent need for transformation. This affects all areas of education and training, from the development of new curricula, to the building of new schools and places of education, to teacher training and the need for new forms of governance and new attitudes towards education and training.
The Constitution of South Africa sets the framework for education and training. It does this by ensuring all citizens are provided with education and training and, in particular, to adult basic education and training.
The National Youth Policy acknowledges the Report of the National Committee on Further Education as a framework for the transformation of further education and training in South Africa. Further Education and Training (FET) is of major and direct relevance to the lives of many young men and women, especially those who previously suffered under Bantu Education as well as those who are currently out-of-school, principally because it provides training in vocational and technical fields.
It is recognised that the transformation of the education system, at all levels, requires change in many different fields. Not least of these is that of governance. Students and youth organisations should be provided with opportunities for direct participation in governing bodies. This includes school governing bodies as well as the Broad Transformation Forums (BTFs) which have newly created legal powers for the governance of higher education.
The new National Qualifications Framework (NQF) sets the environment in which education and training is designed and delivered. Within this framework, the Department of Education has undertaken a series of policy and programme initiatives to address the imbalance and irrelevance of the education system inherited from the former government. Curriculum 2005 was launched in January 1997 as a new national curriculum which is outcome-based and oriented towards the promotion of life-long learning.
VISION AND OBJECTIVES
When addressing the concerns of young women and men in the education and training sector it is important to avoid a narrow approach which can marginalise youth development issues. The education and training of young women and men must be firmly positioned as a youth development strategy. The main areas for youth development in the education and training sector which require attention are:

access to education and training institutions and programmes so that the principles of equal access is ensured, especially through the design and administration of admission criteria;
issues associated with student debt and the need for a new means of financing studies; and
redressing the imbalances and inequities of the past, including the need to address institutional and procedural racism.

When addressing the issue of education and training from a youth development perspective, the following objectives for action have been formulated:

to ensure the practical social and environmental needs of young women and men in the education and training system are addressed (including architectural design and structures which affect young people with disabilities) so they are able to make full use of the reforms and transformations in this sector;
to respond with urgency and determination to the issues faced by out-of-school youth so as to ensure this group of young men and women are given new opportunities to engage in education and training; and
to enhance and develop the skills, standards and behaviours amongst those who design, implement, manage and monitor youth development programmes and those who work directly with young men and women.

TARGET GROUPS
One of the most critical groups of young people in need in this sector are those who are considered "out-of-school"; young women and men who are no longer engaged in the education system, who are without employment, or any significant school qualification. These young women and men are in grave danger of being permanently unemployed or of participating in illegal or risky activities as a result of their alienation from society. Other target groups of particular concern are:

young men and women who are disabled;
rural young people;
young women; and
young men and women who are in correctional facilities.

Young men and women who are disabled require access to mainstream education along with all other young people. The provision of appropriate access and a supportive environment is essential to this group.
In addition to the specific needs of young women and men in education and training, is the need for human resource development within the youth work sector. South Africa has very few opportunities for workers with young women and men to develop and improve their skills. Thus, the education and training of youth workers is an important issue in youth development.
Finally, the National Youth Policy recognises that a sizeable number of young women and men suffer from special needs in education and training which, if not addressed, can severely limit their capacity to benefit from these services. These include, for example, young people with learning difficulties.
STRATEGIES
These objectives shall be met through the following strategies:
8.1.1 Civil rights education
South Africa's new Constitution and Bill of Rights provides a framework for the protection of citizen rights. However, the legacy of apartheid has created a situation where previous cultural and procedural practices are entrenched through various public, community and business institutions. In order to promote and inculcate a new constitutional culture in line with the democratic order, the education of young women and men should inform new curriculum initiatives.
To address this, provincial departments of education should take actions to ensure civic or constitutional education is a part of the new curriculum for General and Further Education. This type of education must be linked to the National Qualifications Framework where appropriate. The Department of Education should work closely with provincial departments to ensure this strategy is effectively implemented.
8.1.2 Expansion of youth and community colleges for out-of-school young people
Programmes and services provided by youth and community colleges shall be expanded and shall develop specific initiatives which address the needs of out-of-school young women and men, and not only those who failed matric. These shall include pre-employment training, vocational training and skills development. It shall also include remedial courses which help young people who are out-of-school to catch-up and return to school.
The National Youth Commission, in close consultation with the Department of Education, will investigate current curricula, action plans and accreditation of youth and community colleges to find ways where development and placement of out-of-school young people takes place through these institutions.
8.1.3 Student financing
The main issues to be addressed when considering the issue of student financing are the need to ensure that a lack of personal finance does not prevent a young person from enrolling in higher education and finding a way to deal with growing student debt. Whilst addressing these issues, it is important to recognise that further and higher education should accommodate:

strengthening of the financial aid programme for Further and Higher Education to ensure access to education for all, incorporating a revolving system of repayments into a national educational finance aid scheme;
student financial aid be extended to distance education learners;
some form of graduate tax be investigated and possibly linked to National Youth Service (see Strategy 8.1.4); and
an investigation should be conducted into qualifying and offsetting student debt through internships and community work.

The Department of Education will undertake the above mentioned action, in close consultation with the National Youth Commission. Decisions on these matters will involve consultation with youth and student organisations, and other relevant stakeholders.
8.1.4 National Youth Service
There has been a great deal of discussion and debate in the last few years around the concept of a national youth service programme. Indeed, there have been a number of NGOs who have been active in this work for some time (e.g. the Joint Enrichment Project and the South African Students Volunteers). The process of consultation and debate on this issue has lead to a great deal of consensus on the need for such a programme. Whilst issues of detail require further investigation and debate, the National Youth Policy sets a clear direction and rationale for the design and implementation of a National Youth Service programme.
National Youth Service combines the following four themes:

development - where the skills and capacities of young women and men can be employed on projects and activities which promote development in South Africa;
skills training - an opportunity for young people to gain new experiences and develop new skills which will benefit them later in life;
national unity - where young women and men from all walks of life are given the opportunity to work together with a spirit of reconciliation and national unity;
service - where young people and the country as a whole benefit through volunteering their services for the benefit of the broader community.

National Youth Service accommodates the needs, interests and opportunities of three target groups:

OUT-OF-SCHOOL AND UNEMPLOYED YOUNG PEOPLE
The National Youth Service programme will provide new life, work and educational opportunities to those young men and women who are no longer at school and who are unemployed. These people will be re-integrated into society through a structured skills and work experience programme which is nationally accredited and youth-focussed. It is envisaged that National Youth Service for this group of young people will be voluntary, possibly combining incentives.

GRADUATES OF HIGHER EDUCATION
The term "community service" as defined within the framework of a National Youth Service Programme as it applies to those in higher education has been described as a programme which is "linked to higher education that involves participants in activities designed to deliver social benefits to a particular community in ways that teach the participants to work jointly towards achieving the common goal." The programme targeting graduates is likely to use a combination of compulsory activities and incentives.

DE-MOBILISED YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOUNG RETURNEES
The National Youth Policy recognises the special needs and circumstances of young people who have returned from exile and those who have been de-mobilised. National Youth Service programme shall assist these people to be re-integrated into society through a structured skills and work experience programme which is nationally accredited and youth-focussed.

The creation of an effective National Youth Service programme will involve a range of different Government departments and ministries, including the Departments of Education, Labour, Defence and Public Works. It will also involve provincial administrations and local governments, the private sector, NGOs, trade unions, professional bodies, along with a range of youth development organisations and other role players.
The National Youth Service programme will operate along the following principles:

inclusive of all young people, regardless of race, sex, or geographical location;
promote a common sense of nationhood;
promote reconstruction and development;
link community service and internships to career-oriented studies;
be accredited within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF);
be linked to the national skills development strategy;
be linked to the national strategy for economic growth;
tap into public and private sector, as well as civil society resources;
give special emphasis to rural development projects; and
be linked to financial support for education;
combine compulsory and incentive measures to encourage young people into the programme;

The National Youth Commission will prepare a detailed Green Paper on a National Youth Service Programme. This paper, which will be developed in close consultation with key stakeholders, such as those identified above, will address the following areas:

purpose and structure of the programme;
issues associated with curriculum and connections with the National Qualifications Framework;
review of international experience;
target groups (e.g. out-of-school young people; young graduates);
types of service opportunities provided (e.g. heritage restoration, environment protection, community development);
types of project locations (e.g. rural projects);
financing options, which will include the mobilisation of private sector finances;
organisational and management arrangements; and
proposed time frames and possible pilot projects.

This detailed strategy paper will lay the basis and direction for the establishment of this programme.
8.1.5 Professionalising youth work
The education and training of people who work with young women and men shall be improved through the creation of an accredited and specialised youth work training programme. This programme should be offered on a part-time or full-time basis and should include education and training for students in rural and remote areas (e.g. through distance education).
The National Youth Commission will work with the South African Youth Council, the Department of Education and other relevant youth and academic organisations to identify education and training needs amongst youth workers, review international training programmes and develop a proposal for a professional youth work training programme. This process should bring about a clear conceptualisation of a model for youth worker training. This model should incorporate structured education and training curricula within the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), formal accreditation of practical youth work and community development skills, recognition of prior learning, and a clear understanding of the practical and theoretical skills required for effective youth work in South Africa.
8.1.6 Youth representation

Because of the direct relationship between education and training and the enormous challenge contained within the transformation of this sector, it is essential that youth representation on the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) is assured. Thus, the Department of Education will negotiate with the SAQA for such representation which will be provided through the National Youth Commission.