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8 August 2008

The legacy of oppression weighs heavily on women and therefore it is imperative that we intensify our campaigns towards creating an environment which values mentoring of emerging and aspirant women leaders. This is according to the Acting Superintendent-General for Education in the Free State Mr Daddy Phukuntsi, during the celebration of National Women's Day at Free State Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges in Welkom today.

Addressing departmental officials, FET students and other education stakeholders and role-players, Phukuntsi said as long as outmoded ways of thinking prevent women from making meaningful contribution to the society, progress will be slow. He said the nation needs to acknowledge the equal role of more than half of itself and avoid being doomed.

"While we can pride ourselves for having done well in the field of women development and recognition over the past decade, this recognition has not yet translated into significantly improved access to resources or increased decision-making powers for women. Neither has the dynamism that women display in the economic, cultural and social lives of their communities through their associations and informal networks, been channelled into creating new models of participation and leadership."

He said it is disturbing that in most instances, women are still classified in terms of traditional norms and customs that manipulate and classify them under certain categories that discriminate and relegate them to minor work categories. According to him, we need to intensify our mechanisms whereby we intend to attract, develop, promote and retain talented and suitably qualified women.

"We need to ensure that young women are given a chance to prove themselves and that their skills are fully utilised in the workplace and provide them with equal opportunities. We need to expose them to real work environment through partnerships with relevant stakeholders who will provide them with experiential training and mentorship. This will help them to understand and appreciate the challenges facing aspirant women leaders, the benefits that await those who are creative and ambitious as themselves."

The Acting Superintendent-General further hinted that apart from professional degrees and diplomas offered by local universities and universities of technology, the department's newly structured FET colleges offer a variety of career-oriented programmes which are meant to prepare future business leaders in society. He explained that the department is busy with other mechanisms and measures such as exit strategies for FET college learners doing technical and engineering studies being linked with contractors appointed by the department, internship programmes for learners studying for areas such as human resource management, finances, physical resources planning, supply chain management and others.

He said on the other hand, some young women are still skeptical and reluctant to venture into entrepreneurship. Others do not market themselves properly even in interviews for jobs, despite the fact that Government's employment equity target women.

"It is therefore, our responsibility to show and convince them that the stereotypes of gender discrimination no longer hold ground in the country, in all sectors of the economy including the lucrative business sector. We need to build on the foundations laid by our heroines of 1956 by ensuring that the vision, principles and goals they espoused and cherished are fully realised."

For enquiries contact:
Sol 'Teacher' Magalefa
Cell: 082 573 3404
E-mail: magalefasr@edu.fs.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Education, Free State Provincial Government
8 August 2008