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[South Africa]Brand South Africa Facilitates Dialogue On Value of Education

[South Africa]Brand South Africa Facilitates Dialogue On Value of Education

Brand South Africa, in partnership with the Sowetan, hosted a dialogue on the value of education for your people at the Mayibuye Multipurpose Community Centre in Kimberley on Wednesday 18 March 2015.

The conversation was led by:

  • MEC Lebogang Motlhaping: Department of Sports, Arts and Culture
  • Prof Yunus Ballim: Vice Chancellor at Sol Plaatjie University
  • Dr Tshegofatso Gopane: Provincial Chairperson of the Black Management Forum
  • Dr Albertus Malgas: Clinical Psychologist, and
  • Mr Sabata-Mpho Mokae, Author and Young Achiever.

This panel led a robust conversation on how education can benefit young people in our country and why this is important. A further aspect of the conversation looked at how all sectors of society could play their part to enable young people to receive the education, skills and training they need to access opportunities for further education and employment.

Significantly, all panelists agreed that education can equip young people and future adults with the power to choice so that their circumstances at birth will not pre-determine the direction of their lives.

At the same time, speakers like the MEC of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and Dr Gopane emphasised that, while government and organised business had the role to create jobs, education would equip young people with the skills required for entrepreneurship. SMME development supported by the spirit of entrepreneurship has been shown globally, to have a significant impact on the growth and development of economies.

Another significant point that emerged from the conversation was that young people should also be supported with recreational facilities so that their energies and passion could be channeled positively. This could also contribute significantly to the direction of their lives.

Finally all panelists robustly supported the view that circumstances should not be allowed to set the course for a young person's life. And in this, it was unanimously agreed, lay the greatest value of education which enables access to further opportunities. This ability to access opportunities could fundamentally change the course of our national development.

All sectors of society have a role in supporting the development of young people. Indeed, the adage that it takes a village to raise a child still holds true.

Brand SA

 

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