Generic Skills in Education

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Contributor Comment by Wilma de Villiers on March 28, 2012 at 16:46

Henry, I fully support what you are saying;

'If we can emulate the same reaction that was displayed in response to the e-tollgate system maybe we can move forward to make education prominent in our daily lexicon.'

As a nation we get upset about many things and will even go to extreme lengths, but when it come to education and our children, we 'complain', but what are we doing about it?

Comment by Henry Khehla Malishe on March 28, 2012 at 16:12

The problem is that we are nation that does not have a national agenda on education, as long as we dont have one system of education supported with all the necessary and proper equipment and qualified teachers we are going nowhere. First thing first, our daily conversation does not feature the issue of the importance of education as a cornerstone for human capital development and economic growth we much aspire,instead we over occupy ourselves with soccer and rugby and these plastic celebrities. We as parents we have to blame ourselves for this situation, we have taken a backseat when it comes to the education of our children. Tertiary institutions produce graduates who are not demanded by the developing and growing economy like ours, business the drivers of economic growth does not engage academic institutions to advise them what kind of skills are needed by their industries and tailor make a specific course, the government on another angle is chop and changing systems like a beauty contestant, here we are as citizens I won;t say we are watching but we are not even concern about the issue that concern the future of our children. If we can emulate the same reaction that was displayed in response to the e-tolgate system maybe we can move forward to make education prominent in our daily lexicon. It is upon us as citizens to say what kind of education must be given to our children, currently the state of education is held into ransom by a particular outfit for their narrow sinister interests which is always use the future of our children as apolitical football to settle its scores with the regime and we turn a blind eye on that, and I ask the question what is happening with us, It seems we have retired from thinking and let other people do for us, Shame on us!

Comment by Beverley Busisiwe Mokoto on February 22, 2012 at 9:29

One of the key challenges in our society is the application of knowledge literacy to solve problems. Problem solving is encouraged in schools but in may instances this is in isolation of knowledge gained. Our learners cannot identify the link between knowledge literacy , application and problem solving. I believe if we introduce our children to these key concepts at an early age like in Japan, we may be able to develop critical thinkers and problem solvers. We need knowledge that can be implemented, critiqued and be of use to our society.

Comment by Wilma Guest-Mouton on February 17, 2012 at 11:23

Hi my view is that we are forever busy with the basics.  Teach a child the basic skills and build o it in later life.  E.g. the basic of communication, conflict management etc.  Principles never change, that is universal truths, but we need to learn to apply it properly in the world we live. 

 

Contributor Comment by Wilma de Villiers on February 16, 2012 at 20:37

I read that  Ellin Galinsky said children need the following 'essential life  skills':

• Focus and self control
• Perspective taking
• Communicating
• Making connections
• Critical thinking
• Taking on challenges
• Self-directed, engaged learning

It adds to the argument that skills should be learned from a young age.  We all need the skills Ellin listed.

Contributor Comment by Wilma de Villiers on February 16, 2012 at 20:00

Today at a meeting we discussed the lack of skills that early childhood development educators have.  My view is that we are applying models of other countries, where as South Africa's situation is unique.  We should look at globalization, but first focus on our own country and then see how we can adapt.

I am also wondering if the lack of skills is not caused by the circumstances under which many of these people live .... poverty, abuse ...

Comment by Lynette Barbara Myers on February 16, 2012 at 18:38

All South Africans need to alter their mindsets when it comes to the relationship between education and a sustainable income/career. The best advice I was ever given was to make sure I could do something most other people  could not do for themselves and  preferably need to have done continuously. Hence your very sensible list Sylvia , of jobs that will never go out of fashion!!!

Comment by Christine Maritz on February 16, 2012 at 10:20

Hi Wilma and Sylvia

Some problems encountered in the workplace, are generic skills which should be taught to scholars before leaving school, i.e. leadership skills, professional writing skills, professional communication skills and an introduction to business ethics and labour law principles.  There are things we take for granted, i.e. that a staff member will know to let an employer know when he is sick ... sometimes that doesn't even happen and staff just don't arrive at work without notice.  Literacy barriers to writing professional emails and speaking professionaly on the phone, are definite needs in the workplace which should be taught at school level already.  The lack of service delivery in the work sector is shocking.  Mostly there is no urgency to deliver, to follow up or to finish a job.  These type of skills should be taught perhaps in the subject Life Orientation which is a compulsory subject for all learners.  I think it is high time that LO tackles the curriculum and base it on the gaps identified in the work sector.  This is where we must change attitudes - during the schooling years.

Comment by sylvia hammond on February 16, 2012 at 9:00

What I have noticed from the current crop of school leavers is that they have received minimal if any career guidance. In addition even when they have an idea of what they want to do, they have no knowledge of how to market themselves in order to pursue that career.  They have a passive "you call me when you have a job" approach, rather than an "I'm taking charge of the process of marketing myself and finding what I want, or alternatively I can make my own future".  In short, they are completely unprepared for a world of work where many people do more than one thing part time, or do something in part-time employment and something on their own, or run their own business - providing a service, selling something, or making and selling something.  In today's world the proportion of people who will be in traditional permanent full-time work for a large part of their life will decrease. 

However, the growth area and what will not change - but only increase - is the provision of personal services that cannot be done by a machine or electronic device.  Some ideas I can think of - community worker, a masseuse, hairdresser, barber, career guidance counsellor, builder, funeral undertaker, teacher, child care, old age care, personal coach, chef, agriculture, tour guide, driver, translator, artist, musician, gardener, landscape gardener, decorator, fashion design, model - I'm sure that there are many more. So individuals need to be given the skills to identify their natural talent and to creatively make a living for themselves. 

In my opinion that is what they need - how to make a living - not necessarily the concept of a permanent "job" in the old fashioned sense.  I suspect that many educators don't understand the world of work and how it has changed over the last two decades, so they are unable to appropriately guide the young people they teach.