HRD Strategy
Human Resource Development Strategy
“A Nation at Work for a
Better Life for All”
Education Portfolio Committee Briefing
15 October 2002
HRD Strategy
Content of presentation
 A brief background to the Strategy
 Overarching goals of the Strategy
 Priorities and Strategic Objectives of the Strategy
 Management and governance of the Strategy
 Role of the Directorate: HRD Planning at DoE
HRD Strategy
Background
 HRD Strategy was adopted by Cabinet at its
Lekgotla in January 2001
 Launched in April 2001 by the Ministers of
Education and Labour
 Ultimate goal – “a better life for all”

To improve the Human Development Index by
improving basic social infrastructure, providing
universal basic education and improving quality of life

To reduce inequalities in wealth and poverty; and

To improve investor confidence and international
perceptions
HRD Strategy
Human development: the concept
 Comprehensive definition adopted by the UN

a process of enlarging people’s choices

a healthy and educated society (acquired
knowledge)

access to resources needed for a decent standard
of living
HRD Strategy
Overall goal to be measured by
improvements in international ratings
Indicator
Baseline
ranking
Human Development Index (HDI)
94 / 162
(Measured through a combination of indicators such as life
expectancy at birth, average years of education, and GDP per
capita )
Gini Co-efficient
0.59
(Measures inequalities in terms of household income and
occupational structure of the labour market)
World Competitiveness Year Book
(Measured through a combination of indicators such as
educational outcomes and attitudinal variables such as work
ethics and economic literacy)
42 / 49
HRD Strategy
Strategic objectives and
Priorities
HRD Strategy
Pillars of HRD
4
GROWING THE FUTURE
National capacity for Innovation,
Research and Development
5
2
HRD STRATEGY
SUPPLY SIDE
Improving the
supply of highquality skills
Enhancing the linkages
between the other four
strategic objectives
1
3
DEMAND SIDE
Increasing
employer
participation in
lifelong
learning
BUILDING THE BASE
“Improving the foundations for human development”
HRD Strategy
Target Area
Early childhood
development
SO 1 : Improving the foundations for human
development
Indicator
Increase participation in Grade R
Lead
department
DoE
Audit of facilities & registration of sites
Training practitioners
Adult basic
education
and
training and
literacy
Increase participation
DoE
Reduce extent of illiteracy
SANLI functioning
Review of adult learning centres;
NSF Projects (DoL & SETAs)
Universal
general
education (12
years)
Participation rates
Improving quality
Improve pass rates, mainly in Maths and Science
Teacher, school management & SGB
development
DoE
HRD Strategy
SO 2: Improving the supply of high-quality
skills (particularly scarce skills)...
Target Area
Increase supply of
scarce skills
Indicator
Research scarce skills
Lead
department
DoE
Bursary schemes targeting scarce skills
Programme funding
Increase participation in fields of study
relevant to scarce skills
Increased
HE and FET reconfiguration begun.
participation in FET
and HE institutions
NSFAS
DoE
Quality Assurance Act
Registration of private higher institutions
Increased placement
of FE and HE
graduates in
employment
Baseline research on current status of
placement by HSRC
Targets set to improve from baseline.
DoE
HRD Strategy
SO 3: Increasing employer participation in
lifelong learning
Target Area
Indicator
Lead
Department
Increased employer
participation in
workplace skills
development
75% of large firms and 40% medium firms
claim levy by March 2005
DoL
All government departments submit
Workplace Skills Plans
Learnerships – 100 new programmes
registered
Managers trained by SAMDI
Skills development for
SMMEs
DTI Policy review
Skills development for
social development
SD integrated into , URS, local Integrated
Dev. Plans
DTI
SETA NSF Project proposals submitted
DoL
HRD Strategy
SO 4: Supporting employment growth
through industrial policies, innovation, R&D
Target Area
Intermediate actions
Lead
department
Research and
development
expenditure
DACST strategy for research funding
being more targeted.
DACST
Science – industry
partnership
THRIPP programme
DTI
Identification of
economic sectors with
significant growth and
employment potential
Integrated Action Plan for economic and
employment growth.
Align SSPs with DTI industry policy/sector
summits to improve employment effects
DTI
HRD Strategy
SO 5: Linking the parts of the HRD Strategy
DPSA
DoL
DoE
Integrated
service
delivery on
emerging
alignments
DACST
DTI
DPLG
HRD Strategy
What are other departments doing?
 DACST – Research and Development Strategy

SET human capital

New generation of scientists

Target Africans and women in particular

Focus on Centres of Excellence

Migration of highly skilled people

Attrition rates of researchers approximated at 11% from
government t laboratories & 15% at universities (annually)

Establishment of Centres of Excellence – striving to be the best
(globally competitive)
 DTI – Integrated Manufacturing Strategy

Intends to build a sustainable growth-oriented economy

Increase domestic capacity for S & T to keep abreast with
technological developments globally
HRD Strategy
2002 HRD Priority Area Targets
Priority area
Summary Target 2002
ECD
(see Report Annex 3)
200 000 learners
ABET
50 000 learners +
Scarce skills
63% workers at NQF 1
Increase bursaries
(DoL / SETAs)
DoL / DoE / DTI
Public sector
Immigration finalised
WSP 100 departments
Home Affairs
DPSA / PSETA
Learnerships
SMME’s
More managers trained
20 000 in private & public
sectors
DoL, DoE and DTI targets
Responsible
department/s
DoE
DoE
SAMDI
DoL (DoE)
(DPSA/PSETA)
DTI
HRD Strategy
Key challenges
National systems of Innovation,
Research and Development
SUPPLY SIDE
Provision of
Further and
Higher
Education and
Training.
Key challenges ……
2002/3; 2004/5; 2014/15
There is too
little demand too few jobs!
Graduates?
Retrenchees?
There is nowhere for
many school
graduates
to go
Long-term
unemployed?
School leavers?
DEMAND SIDE
Demand for skills
from public and
private
employers
GENERAL EDUCATION
The underpinning supply of compulsory schooling; Early
Childhood Development and Adult Basic Education and
Training
HRD Strategy
Research, technology &
development
 In 1990, 18% of scientific publications was produced
by researcher aged 50 and above – in 1998 the
figure was 45%
 There is less than 1 researcher per 1 000 people
 Only 3.4% of matriculants have matric exemption
with Maths & Science
 South Africa undertakes 0.5% of global research
HRD Strategy
Retaining skills
 Migration of highly skilled people
 Attrition rates of researchers approximated at 11%
from government t laboratories & 15% at universities
(annually)
 Establishment of Centres of Excellence – striving to
be the best (globally competitive)
HRD Strategy
Management and
governance
HRD Strategy
Management and governance
National
 Cabinet provide political leadership
 FOSAD advise Cabinet
 Ministers Education and Labour establish working groups
to ensure targets are achieved
 HRD Coordinating Committee

DoE and DoL co-chairs

DACST, DTI, DPSA, DPLG, Presidency

HSRC - Supporting Agency

Extended invitation to Home Affairs
 Within DoE: HRD Directorate/ Planning & Monitoring
Branch
HRD Strategy
….continued
• Provincial
 PEC a point of provincial political decision
making
 HODs will advise PEC and Premier of key HRD
issues
 Existing structures such as the Skills
Development Forum (DoL) could be upgraded &
reconstituted to ensure a stronger
 DoE and DoL currently preparing for taking the
Strategy to provincial and local government
HRD Strategy
….continued
• Sectoral
 Government to contribute intellectually and
financially to the functioning of SETAs
 Sector skills plans ensure alignment with State
policy and HRD
 PSETA
 Inter-sectoral meetings managed through
existing SETA Forum with a fuller government
participation
HRD Strategy
Role of HRD Directorate
within DoE
HRD Strategy
Role of D/PSH- external
 Co-chair the HRD CC
 Co-manage inter-departmental collaboration
 Represent DoE - setting targets, progress reports
 Report to DGs, Ministers and Cabinet
 Agree on research agenda with partners
HRD Strategy
Role of D/PSH- internal
 Labour market trend-analysis to inform planning
 Research in output of education system, especially at FE and HE levels
– to identify under- and/or over production,
 Review indicators and targets – research where baseline data is not
available e.g. placement rates
 Manage collaboration with HRD partners
 Monitor and report on macro indicators of human development
 Establish a link with PEDs on HRD
 Improve general understanding of the Strategy
 Ensure that relevant directorates/ units include HRD priorities in their
plans, and agree targets

ECD, ABET, SANLI, FET, HE, Skills Development Unit,
…end