SA is a resource-rich country, and not because of its minerals, but rather because of its large pool of untapped potential talent.
According to recent mid-year population estimates by Statistics SA, 28.3% of the population are younger than 15 and 34.3% are between the ages of 15 and 34 out of a total of 60.14m people. These are the leaders of tomorrow. Our future doctors, lawyers, teachers, and more.
However, a significant portion of our youth is unlikely to realise these futures if we don’t make quality education and skills development accessible to all. While the right to basic education is enshrined in the SA constitution, quality education continues to be a privilege only for those who can afford it.
Institutions perceived to offer a higher quality of education are costly. And, with SA still holding one of the highest inequality rates in the world, those who can afford it make up a tiny fraction of our population.
Everyone wants to get into the best schools and universities for whichever career path they choose. But, because not everyone can afford the fees, not many young people are able to access the opportunity to do so.
It is therefore vitally important that we invest as much as possible into education and ensure that investment is applied as equitably as possible.
This is even more important in today’s context as both the work and economic environment face disruption every day.
From the digital revolution to major shifts in the way we work and learn as a result of unprecedented and unforeseen disruptors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, education needs to adapt to prepare students for a constantly changing world.
The private sector has an important part to play in expanding access to opportunities.
Many big businesses have relationships with high-quality educational institutions to gain access to a pipeline of talent which they can recruit, but often neglect institutions that aren’t perceived as prestigious.
Businesses need to acknowledge there is a huge market of students out there they may not be reaching. Additionally, transformation in the workplace has meant that there is a substantial gap between what students learn and the practical skills needed in the workplace.
Several studies have revealed that many SA graduates lack many of the basic and critical skills needed. In 2019, SA was reported to have a skills mismatch of more than 50% with the lowest productivity in the labour market compared to 30 other countries.
Business leaders need to make themselves available to young students and first-time entrants in the workforce to provide mentorship, guidance on their career path, and training to succeed in their respective fields.
There is a significant benefit to the junior, the firm, and the firm management when juniors are properly trained and know what they are doing.
By ensuring that skills are transferred, you are able to guarantee a pipeline of competent employees that could develop into directors and leaders in the future.
We have a responsibility, beyond our own business, to our professions to ensure the next generation is properly trained, competent, and live up to the ethical standards required from them.
Education is vitally important in helping us navigate the world in a way that not only improves our lives and opens up new opportunities by way of employment prospects and a better quality of life for ourselves and our families, but also improves on the world around us through our contributions to the professions we choose to enter into.
Ensuring that every person is able to gain access to high-quality education and is armed with the skills to achieve success on an equal footing is critical to ensuring a brighter future for SA and South Africans alike.
• Mohamed is CMS SA head of corporate investigations and forensics partner; while Kayana is head of dispute resolution and partner at CMS SA
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