Preparing learners for a changing world is essential for enabling individuals to lead fulfilling lives, contribute to society, and navigate the challenges of an ever-evolving world. Therefore, it can be argued that access to education and the opportunity to develop relevant skills and knowledge is a basic human right.
Education is a powerful tool for promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and improving health outcomes. It also plays a crucial role in shaping individuals’ perspectives, fostering critical thinking, and promoting social and cultural awareness. As such, access to education and the opportunity to learn and develop new skills should be available to all individuals, regardless of their background or circumstances.
While education is about more than just career preparation, what are the skills that will help youth to find and keep a job, now and in the future? In today’s rapidly changing world, the ability to adapt and learn new skills has become more critical than ever. With technological advancements and shifting job markets, individuals need to be equipped with relevant skills to remain competitive and thrive. Providing access to education and lifelong learning opportunities can help individuals stay relevant and adaptable in the face of change.
To address the many challenges facing the South African education system, we need to start implementing an “out of the box” solution-driven approach so that learners are not left behind on the global stage. Preparing learners for a changing world is not just a privilege or luxury; it is a basic human right. Access to education and the opportunity to develop relevant skills and knowledge can empower individuals to lead fulfilling lives, contribute to society, and navigate the challenges of an ever-evolving world.
The lack of recognised work experience is a stumbling block that keeps young people from engaging in economic activities. To bridge the gap between school and work, it is important that young people gain hands-on experience of the world of work through Project-based Learning.
In light of this, DBE-E³, the Department of Basic Education’s flagship programme in South Africa, seeks to equip educators to prepare students to be solution-seeking active participants in the world after school.
“The days of a job for life, and of a single programme of education and training that fits you for that job, are gone. This is why it’s important to equip young people with foundational skills that will stand them in good stead regardless of what jobs they end up taking on, ”, says James Donald, Executive Director of DBE-E³.
James Donald stated further that “the right to education is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “Everyone has the right to education”. This right is further elaborated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which recognizes that education is a fundamental human right essential for the exercise of other human rights. Section 29 of the South African Constitution enshrines the right to education and defines the positive responsibilities of the state in this respect. The section states, “Everyone has the right to a basic education, including adult basic education.”
Project Based Learning is an agile and innovative multidisciplinary approach that can produce students who are skilled for workplace. The new emerging trend for recent employment is the employers expect learners to have more than academic excellence to be employed. They prefer graduates who possess soft skills such as communication skills, creativity, collaboration for teamwork, and critical thinking for problem-solving.
Therefore educators are need to change and find a new teaching and learning strategy to be incorporated in the classroom that would facilitate that students develop both academic as well as interpersonal skills which are commonly known as soft skills.
