Mid Term Report - Gauteng Online

The project aims to stimulate innovation and scienceand technology-related entrepreneurship amonglearners. The competition is designed to createexcitement around maths, science, technology andentrepreneurship, by engaging high school learnersin a creative and basic technology problem-solvingprocess.Smart Young Minds seeks to empower schools, especiallydisadvantaged schools, with equipment andteaching aids. It seeks to motivate learners to investigateproblems, wants and needs in their communitiesand to generate ideas for products or services thatwill fill a gap in the market and become commerciallyviable.A schools outreach programme was implemented in50 schools and 100 learners were trained as projectambassadors. 10 Finalists were selected by a panelof judges representing industry specialists acrossthe fields of maths, science, technology and business.Each finalist was matched with a team of WitsBusiness School post-graduate students to developdetailed business plans for their ideas.Further Education and TrainingThe technical education sector has been successfullytransformed into a viable Further Education andTraining (FET) sector. Gauteng has eight collegesoperating on 33 campuses. The sector has introduceda number of standard programmes in conjunction withthe Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)and targets over 46 000 learners. Partnerships withlocal government, the private sector and other governmentdepartments have been forged to promote skillsdevelopment to target out-of-school youth.391 enrolments in 2005/06. Gauteng has 49Adult Centres which operate from 15h00 to 21h00depending on the time table and the area where thecentre or the satellite is situated. The ABET programmefocuses on basic literacy, skills development and entrepreneurshipwhich also targets out-of-school youth.The ABET strategy for the province was developed in2004 and provincial teams were set up to fast-trackits implementation. ABET centre managers have beentrained on the compilation of a centre developmentplan, a centre improvement plan and also a centreself-assessment plan.Human ResourceDevelopment strategyOne of the most important achievements in developinghealthy, skilled and productive people in theprovince has been the finalisation of a comprehensiveHuman Resource Development strategy whichwill enhance both economic growth and job creationas well as social delivery. This is also dealt with underthe chapter on “Enabling faster economic growthand job creation”.Health careThe provincial government has prioritised access toquality health care for all Gauteng residents, witha particular focus on investing in human capitaland health care infrastructure. One measure of theimproved access is an increase in the number ofpatient visits from 10,4 million in 2002 to 14,1 millionin 2005. Key areas of commitment include thefollowing:• Promoting adequate nutrition and healthy life-Consolidated support to the FET sector has been provided,including through the training of councils, theestablishment of learnership programmes, curriculumresourcing, student representative council elections,staff development, infrastructural improvements andstrategic planning.A three-year recapitalisation process started in2006 following extensive planning in the 2005/6financial year.All FET colleges in the province were engaged invarious learnership and skills programmes.ABETAdult Basic Education and Training targets thosepeople who were previously denied an opportunityto develop literacy, numeracy and other skills. Therewere a total of 69 897 full time equivalent enrolmentsat public ABET centres in 2004/05 and 6240 • Midterm Report - 2004/06