New decade brings sense of change for the better
Priorities to focus on in 2020
AS WE enter 2020, it feels so much closer to the targets we have set ourselves in the National Development Plan 2030. Just 10 more years to go.
Sometimes in the mix of all our problems and all the noise that surrounds those problems it becomes difficult to find the shreds of positivity. Yet it is a new year and this time around the new decade must bring us a sense of positivity that we can change things for the better.
What are some of the priorities that we can focus on during 2020 that can start to set the ground for a resounding decade where we turn the tide?
In Basic Education, sometimes we shout from the rooftops about changing the curriculum or how lowering pass marks will destroy the entire system, without fully understanding the thinking behind these decisions.
Our goal must be to provide universal early childhood development and nutrition to our newborns and infants as this can have a profound impact on our basic education performance. We must also encourage greater parental involvement in the basic education system to create the social structures for our children to succeed.
We remain aware of the demand of young people for higher education. We will see snaking queues around institutions of higher learning as thousands of youth pursue post school qualifications.
Institutions of higher learning, the government and student bodies should work together to start to phase out qualifications that are no longer relevant and where young people struggle to find employment at exit points. It is also important that support is given to TVET colleges that are lagging.
A comprehensive re-branding of vocational training also needs to be done at all levels – this should start with how business and the market treat their artisans – they deserve the same treatment as experienced professionals.
We must avoid any elements of attacks on foreigners, be they xenophobic or linked to criminal elements within our society.
This requires the government to publish a comprehensive immigration policy that covers asylum, amnesty, regulation of skilled and unskilled workers in the labour market and small business ownership.
We need to make South Africa safer – this has an impact on our tourism numbers, it has an impact on how ordinary South Africans feel about their country, it creates a perception of how people feel about their government. Whether this requires more collaboration between the police, defence and intelligence or rooting out corruption or greater community involvement or maybe a hybrid of all, it has a fundamental impact on the mood and perception of the country.
There needs to be consequences and severe ones for violent and white collar crimes.
Eskom let us down at the end of last year. It was a bitter pill to swallow after a tough 2019. We need to start the just transition from coal to other sources of energy given our over reliance on coal and its associated impact on the economy. Eskom affects everyone – the factory workers, the children at school, our IT professionals and the efficiency of our government – we need more honesty and transparency from our power utility.
John Lennon once said: “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.”
To live without hope is a terrible thing. Our problems are not insurmountable. I wish you and your family a prosperous 2020.