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Setas come together to promote economic developmentThe Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) hosted their first-ever Inter-Seta Conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on 30 September and 1 October. The 1 300 delegates included Seta staff; Seta board members; representatives from business and labour; training providers; skills development facilitators; and education, training and development professionals.
The conference’s theme was “The Power of Seta Synergy for the Transformation of South African Workplace Learning”, and sought to: establish the important position that Setas occupy in the emerging South African education environment; to devise a mechanism for disseminating a positive and accurate Seta message far more widely; and to actualise inter-Seta co-operation around identified priorities.
Setas acknowledged, however, that in order to achieve these objectives, they needed to harvest synergies between the various Setas.
While some have criticised the Inter-Seta Conference as a knee-jerk reaction to Seta re-licensing (current operating licences expire on 31 March 2010), Seta chief executive officers are quick to point out that the seeds for hosting an Inter-Seta Conference were sown at the National Skills Development Conference in October last year, when Professor Merlyn Mehl mooted the idea of harvesting Seta synergies. This set the wheels in motion for the inaugural Inter-Seta Conference.
Inter-Seta steering committee chairperson and BANKSETA CEO Max Makhubalo, said a collective Seta voice was long overdue: “We have made a mistake by hibernating. Seta synergy can benefit the Seta brand and the country as a whole.”
Makhubalo said Setas needed to correct the misconception that they were in competition with one another, when there were, in fact, many instances where Setas were working together.
The Minister of Labour Membathisi Mdladlana and the Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande were unfortunately unable to participate in the Inter-Seta Conference due to prior engagements. Government, however, was represented by Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel, who delivered the keynote address on “The crucial role of Setas in promoting economic development”.
Patel said we were facing an unprecedented economic challenge in the life of our democracy. The country was grappling with high levels of unemployment, high levels of income inequality and a recession. The government had responded to these challenges by introducing counter-cyclical measures and policy measures to improve the structural capacity of the economy to create decent work.
“Setas can play a role in both areas, since skills development and training will be a key means of addressing these two imperatives,” Patel informed.
Setas were well positioned to play a role in support programmes for distressed sectors and the skills components of Expanded Public Works Programmes as well as the Training Layoff Scheme. As far as the latter is concerned, the Setas’ role was initially in the sector design of training courses and in the logistics, which would ensure a rapid response once applications for assistance were made.
Although the government strongly supported Setas, criticisms levelled against Setas needed to be addressed.
Performance indicators, which indicated Seta success included, inter alia, the allocation of funds to training layoff and focusing on projects that addressed the recession; ensuring that there were properly accredited short, training programmes available for workers on training layoffs; reducing the cost per worker of training programmes and ensuring modest costs from training providers; forging partnerships with companies and unions on the shopfloor; and communicating the results of their work in the media and through the appropriate ministers.
Fasset CEO Cheryl James, who also attended the conference, spoke on the topic: “Breathing life into the NQF: letting the numbers speak.” James demonstrated how Setas have made a “big difference”.
She said more than 350 000 employed learners and more than 200 000 unemployed learners have entered learning programmes; more than 230 000 employed and around 120 000 unemployed learners have completed their learning programmes; collectively, Setas have registered more than 1 000 learnerships and recognised more than 970 Centres of Excellence.
James said it was important to acknowledge the impact that Setas are having on learners’ lives. “Without Setas and without the NQF [National Qualifications Framework], we would most definitely not have been in a position to give young people those opportunities.”
Mehl addressed delegates on the topic: “Why the university system in South Africa needs the Setas”. He said he believes “firmly, and more and more with conviction, that Setas are the educational hope for the nation”.
He challenged Setas to ask what they could bring to universities. Mehl said that Setas had the ability to influence learning at the highest levels and to make this relevant for the workplace. Having succeeded in influencing learning at NQF levels 9 and 10, they could then work down, promoting changes, which would better align curricula to the needs of the economy.
Mehl concluded by challenging Setas to: “Act like the authorities you are. Organise yourselves collectively.”
The conference included four commissions: Making Setas more innovative and effective with greater synergy among one another; Setas as critical institutions for social and economic development; building public and private partnerships with further education and training colleges and higher education institutions for skills development; how proactive engagement can be achieved to define the National Skills Development Strategy III, Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, and the response to major national priorities.
Delegates provided recommendations on the way forward for each of these topics.
The Inter-Seta Conference proved a resounding success.
It achieved its objective of establishing the important position that Setas occupy in the emerging South African education environment. This position was confirmed in the address of Minister Patel and Professor Mehl, and James’ demonstration of the impact that Setas have had, and continue to have.
The conference also met its objective of devising a mechanism for disseminating a positive and accurate Seta message far more widely; and actualising inter-Seta co-operation around identified priorities.
Setas resolved to create a Seta voice, enabling them to provide input collectively on issues affecting Setas and skills development in the country. Setas have also agreed to organise themselves, to speak and to defend their brand and their space of operations.
Going forward, Setas have agreed to share best practice and to harvest economies of scale.
“The Inter-Seta Conference is the start of a long journey and not an event. The conference has demonstrated that the Seta community has truly come of age,” Makhubalo concluded.
It is evident that the Setas have embarked on what could be a new and better road to addressing not only the increasing levels of unemployment, but also the general lack of skilled workers.
It has been established that training is urgently required from grassroots level, i.e. the training and skilling of young people. Training the youth could ensure that South Africa has a healthy economy with a solid foundation. When one aims to address the problems of youths, unemployment should be a top priority.
Providing opportunities for employment and training is key, and once those in rural areas have access to such opportunities, they could effectively infiltrate into the economic mainstream.
Busisiwe Lubisi
