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Deputy President
Minister Mdladlana
Colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen

It is a proud moment to present to you and the public this the first integrated national human resource development strategy for the country. It is the culmination of a long process of research and consultation, and serves to fulfil the commitment made in the RDP for a "people driven process" of transformation and social development. The RDP, you will recall, stated, "Our people, with their aspirations and collective determination, are our most important resource".

But the RDP also makes it clear that this is not about "the delivery of goods to a passive citizenry". While the RDP is focused on our people's needs, it relies on the energies and insights of our people to drive the process of meeting those needs, through active involvement and empowerment. This has to be done through an integrated and sustainable programme, to be implemented at every level of government and in civil society as well.

The integrative vision that this HRD Strategy captures is one, which works at many different levels. For those who have been led by the media to believe that the Ministries of Education and Labour are not co-operating, the joint production of this strategy document provides proof to the contrary, as will the unfolding processes that will follow, which will be led by these two Ministries and their Departments.

But the integration is not only between these two Ministries. Cabinet as a national strategy, which will involve every State Department in some way or other, has accepted the HRD Strategy. From Agriculture to Water Affairs, all have a contribution to make towards human resource development, and all will be responsible for ensuring that this contribution is made in a systematic way. HRD will indeed become a constant national theme as Cabinet is briefed on progress on a quarterly basis.

In the same way as Tirisano has captured the spirit of constituencies "working together" in the education terrain, so the national HRD Strategy will go beyond the traditional forms of delivery by government. The involvement of a range of statutory bodies is critical, and these include research agencies like the Human Sciences Research Council and the Foundation for Research Development, as well as all our Higher Education Institutions, which have a key developmental role to play in respect of high-level skills. The Sector Education and Training Authorities (the SETAs) will also be key elements of this strategy, as will employers, especially the larger business sector.

But civil society in its broader sense will also need to be involved, since the strategy is all embracing. Human resource development starts with the new-born child, concerning their health, welfare and development, and ends only when we depart this life. Until then, lifelong learning and social development take place through a variety of structures and organisations, including traditional authorities, community structures, non-governmental agencies, cultural and sporting associations, and many others. All of these will have to be involved in the strategy for it to succeed, and my call today is for all of you to read the document and see where you can make a contribution.

The vision of this HRD Strategy is informed by a determination to make this nation work, in order to provide a better life for all. It will function at two levels:
* one, by ensuring that the necessary structures are in place to provide for the institutionalisation of HRD planning and implementation, and
* second, by the ongoing monitoring of progress against agreed upon targets, to ensure that we achieve our goals.

The Skills Development Strategy recently launched by the Minister of Labour is an important component of this larger HRD strategy. Where skills development is specifically focused on improving the quality of working life, the HRD strategy is concerned with the overall quality of life - for children, for youth, and for adults - and whether or not they are employed. These include concerns about infrastructure (such as water and sanitation provisioning), health and welfare, food security, and democratic participation, all of which contribute to any measure of the quality of life.

Much has been done to improve the quality of life in South Africa, and much more still needs to be done. Since 1994, over 1 million homes have been built, yet we have informal housing settlements throughout the country. Clean water has been supplied to over 6.5 million people, yet we still have outbreaks of diseases that are the direct result of dirty water or poor sanitation. In 2000 alone, over 400 000 houses were connected to the electricity grid, but fire and candles remain the dominant source of heat and light in many homes, especially those in rural areas. For all of these social needs, financial and human resources must be brought together. This HRD strategy is intended to provide a framework for linking social needs to jobs and to workers.

The overarching objectives we have set ourselves are threefold, and indicators are identified which will measure our progress in regard to each. These are:
* to achieve an improvement in the social infrastructure of the country, which will be reflected in the Human Development Index;
* to reduce the extent of inequality in South Africa, as measured by the Gini Co-efficient; and
* to improve international perceptions and confidence about South Africa, which will increase our position in the International Competitiveness League.

These are ambitious targets, but they are achievable, and need to be pursued. This launch is a call to all citizens to play their part. Citizens like Mr Ebriem Fillis, whom I read about on the Internet recently. Mr Fillis is a 44-year-old man, who left school at the age of 14, having completed Std 5. He worked at various jobs, and in 1984 started at the University of the Western Cape as a gardener. He comments: "I started working at the university, where one of my responsibilities was cutting grass. I didn't even have a garden at home!" Against all odds, he completed his matric at night school between 1985 and 1993, and then in 1995 started studying towards a Bachelors degree. Besides holding down a full-time job and studying part-time, he also did additional work as a debt-collector and a fund-raiser for an undertaker. Having obtained his first degree, he continued to complete his honours degree, and Mr Fillis is now enrolled for a Masters in Administration. Happily, Mr Fillis is also appointed to a senior position in the university. This is for me is a wonderful illustration of the talent and commitment of our people, which must be revealed after years of oppression.

And like Mr Fillis, I urge you to learn what can be learnt, whatever your age and status. Teach what can be taught, even if you have never been trained as a teacher. Support your neighbour; assist your community, and serve your country. To quote the RDP again in conclusion: "Regardless of race or sex, or whether they are urban or rural, rich or poor, the people of South Africa must together shape their own future". This HRD Strategy provides the basis for development; let us now make it happen.

Issued by Ministry of Education

23 April 2001