Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 24-08-2018

Gauteng MEC for Basic Education Panyaza Lesufi says his department has identified five economic sectors that it believes would give new opportunities for youth that will position South Africa amongst the best in the world.

Lesufi was speaking during the re-launch of the Samsung Engineering Academy in Midrand on Thursday.

The academy provides youth from technical high schools, colleges and matriculants hope for the future by empowering them with skills to address the critical technical and engineering skills shortage that exists in the South African job market.

Lesufi says the basic education department has for the last three years been planning an ambitious programme to launch almost 25 sector-based schools in the province that specializes in various careers within a particular sector including the first aviation school on the entire continent.

He says the Basic Education department will also be investing and launching schools in the motoring, maritime and railway sectors.

“We need to move away from this perception that for our children to succeed, all of them must go to universities. If you look to growing economies is when you invest in this kind of programmes that you start to yield the dividends.”

Lesufi has lauded Samsung for taking the initiative saying the company is in a growing industry producing products that benefits South Africans and the economy.

Twitter: @FaizelPatel143