The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

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The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Producing students and learners for entry into the economy is important but it is only one side of the equation. We also have to give attention to business and employment opportunities. As a result of Covid-19 and our already fragile economy, organisations are rebalancing. They are reviewing their purpose, the way they do business and the roles and functions within their businesses. A time of stress can focus the mind, and new opportunities emerge. But some organisations will have to trim their staff complement.

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Here is an opening to support the digitisation of textbooks and their free distribution. Financial support for the acquisition of devices is another way of contributing.

Producing students and learners for entry into the economy is important but it is only one side of the equation. We also have to give attention to business and employment opportunities. As a result of Covid-19 and our already fragile economy, organisations are rebalancing. They are reviewing their purpose, the way they do business and the roles and functions within their businesses. A time of stress can focus the mind, and new opportunities emerge. But some organisations will have to trim their staff complement.

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

One way of getting around the problem of internet-dependent access to education is the digitization of textbooks. Textbooks, study guides and workbooks can be loaded onto devices. The student uses these materials without needing regular high-volume internet access. It also solves the problem of physical textbook distribution. The challenges in exercising this option include the cost of devices and ensuring the availability of textbooks, without falling foul of copyright legislation. The physical security of the devices is also problematic.

Here is an opening to support the digitisation of textbooks and their free distribution. Financial support for the acquisition of devices is another way of contributing.

Producing students and learners for entry into the economy is important but it is only one side of the equation. We also have to give attention to business and employment opportunities. As a result of Covid-19 and our already fragile economy, organisations are rebalancing. They are reviewing their purpose, the way they do business and the roles and functions within their businesses. A time of stress can focus the mind, and new opportunities emerge. But some organisations will have to trim their staff complement.

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The opportunity here is to work with your preferred data provider to create low-cost access options for low-income employees.

One way of getting around the problem of internet-dependent access to education is the digitization of textbooks. Textbooks, study guides and workbooks can be loaded onto devices. The student uses these materials without needing regular high-volume internet access. It also solves the problem of physical textbook distribution. The challenges in exercising this option include the cost of devices and ensuring the availability of textbooks, without falling foul of copyright legislation. The physical security of the devices is also problematic.

Here is an opening to support the digitisation of textbooks and their free distribution. Financial support for the acquisition of devices is another way of contributing.

Producing students and learners for entry into the economy is important but it is only one side of the equation. We also have to give attention to business and employment opportunities. As a result of Covid-19 and our already fragile economy, organisations are rebalancing. They are reviewing their purpose, the way they do business and the roles and functions within their businesses. A time of stress can focus the mind, and new opportunities emerge. But some organisations will have to trim their staff complement.

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

There is a further problem with the study from home option. Online education requires low-cost access to the internet. Data costs in South Africa are extremely high. The cost per megabyte is highest for the poor, who can’t afford bulk data packages offered by service providers. The policy environment of data costs has been extremely slow to respond to making educational internet access cheap and ubiquitous.

The opportunity here is to work with your preferred data provider to create low-cost access options for low-income employees.

One way of getting around the problem of internet-dependent access to education is the digitization of textbooks. Textbooks, study guides and workbooks can be loaded onto devices. The student uses these materials without needing regular high-volume internet access. It also solves the problem of physical textbook distribution. The challenges in exercising this option include the cost of devices and ensuring the availability of textbooks, without falling foul of copyright legislation. The physical security of the devices is also problematic.

Here is an opening to support the digitisation of textbooks and their free distribution. Financial support for the acquisition of devices is another way of contributing.

Producing students and learners for entry into the economy is important but it is only one side of the equation. We also have to give attention to business and employment opportunities. As a result of Covid-19 and our already fragile economy, organisations are rebalancing. They are reviewing their purpose, the way they do business and the roles and functions within their businesses. A time of stress can focus the mind, and new opportunities emerge. But some organisations will have to trim their staff complement.

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

There is a further problem with the study from home option. Online education requires low-cost access to the internet. Data costs in South Africa are extremely high. The cost per megabyte is highest for the poor, who can’t afford bulk data packages offered by service providers. The policy environment of data costs has been extremely slow to respond to making educational internet access cheap and ubiquitous.

The opportunity here is to work with your preferred data provider to create low-cost access options for low-income employees.

One way of getting around the problem of internet-dependent access to education is the digitization of textbooks. Textbooks, study guides and workbooks can be loaded onto devices. The student uses these materials without needing regular high-volume internet access. It also solves the problem of physical textbook distribution. The challenges in exercising this option include the cost of devices and ensuring the availability of textbooks, without falling foul of copyright legislation. The physical security of the devices is also problematic.

Here is an opening to support the digitisation of textbooks and their free distribution. Financial support for the acquisition of devices is another way of contributing.

Producing students and learners for entry into the economy is important but it is only one side of the equation. We also have to give attention to business and employment opportunities. As a result of Covid-19 and our already fragile economy, organisations are rebalancing. They are reviewing their purpose, the way they do business and the roles and functions within their businesses. A time of stress can focus the mind, and new opportunities emerge. But some organisations will have to trim their staff complement.

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The opportunity here is to work with authorities to assist employees to live in adequate housing so that children have a secure place for study.

There is a further problem with the study from home option. Online education requires low-cost access to the internet. Data costs in South Africa are extremely high. The cost per megabyte is highest for the poor, who can’t afford bulk data packages offered by service providers. The policy environment of data costs has been extremely slow to respond to making educational internet access cheap and ubiquitous.

The opportunity here is to work with your preferred data provider to create low-cost access options for low-income employees.

One way of getting around the problem of internet-dependent access to education is the digitization of textbooks. Textbooks, study guides and workbooks can be loaded onto devices. The student uses these materials without needing regular high-volume internet access. It also solves the problem of physical textbook distribution. The challenges in exercising this option include the cost of devices and ensuring the availability of textbooks, without falling foul of copyright legislation. The physical security of the devices is also problematic.

Here is an opening to support the digitisation of textbooks and their free distribution. Financial support for the acquisition of devices is another way of contributing.

Producing students and learners for entry into the economy is important but it is only one side of the equation. We also have to give attention to business and employment opportunities. As a result of Covid-19 and our already fragile economy, organisations are rebalancing. They are reviewing their purpose, the way they do business and the roles and functions within their businesses. A time of stress can focus the mind, and new opportunities emerge. But some organisations will have to trim their staff complement.

The opportunities here include: Include a learning package as part of the retrenchment package. Partner with a suitable educational institution to explore options. This could take the form of a formal course, a skills course, or paying a child’s school fees for a year in advance. If some of your employees have to work short time, assist them with part-time courses to broaden their skills and increase their value to your organisation. This is a very powerful invest-for-impact opportunity and will build loyalty and social licence to operate within your workforce.

The Regenesys Foundation has pledged R100mil to underwrite education opportunities for exactly this purpose.

Related articles:

• E-learning in South Africa: a win-win for everybody
• The Transition to Online Learning in SA Schools Success and Failure

Our TVET and FET colleges are powerful vehicles for delivering sought after skills to the economy. Craftspeople of every trade and discipline can find formal employment and can establish their own businesses, providing valuable and necessary services to society. In turn, they employ assistants, bookkeepers and drivers. They are a formidable driver of economic renewal. It is time to throw away the prevailing class disdain for people who work with their hands and their minds. TVET and FET colleges need to become the preferred career path option.

The opportunities here are manifold. Encourage employees’ children to qualify in a trade. Support your local collages with employment offers to graduates. Work with local schools to build this into the formal life orientation learnings.

A further matter requires redress, and it is not an easy one. It is the problem of the school curriculum. The Covid-19 lockdown has exposed, like nothing before, the inadequacies of what is currently taught in schools. The current system is administration-heavy, ponderous and cumbersome.

The emphasis is on control rather than on creating compelling learning opportunities. Education delivery is couched in a rigid policy environment, with unbending demands for uniform outcomes. Teachers are exhausted by administrative tasks, which take them away from their deep vocation of teaching. It does not take account of the lived reality of hundreds of thousands of learners, who struggle to pass subjects which were designed for a world that has passed us by.

Thousands drop out of the system because they are frustrated, they don’t have the funds, or they need to find work to contribute to the household income and survival. The essential question is: what must be learned for someone to be able to make a significant contribution to society? A world that includes gender-based violence, teacher absenteeism and child-headed households.

We need a zero-based look at education. Instead of the argument – well, we have always taught that in school and it is very important; we should ask – what knowledge is needed for success in a 4IR, post-Covid-19 world? What skills are important for a large part of our population who will never have long term regular formal employment and who will not go to university.

In common parlance, they are referred to as the masses, but they are not homogenous. They are unique individuals each with their own hopes and aspirations. They need accessible options to craft a distinctive life solution. Much better options. The approach to a solution here is complex and perplexing. A collaborative approach is needed.

Conclusion

The time is now for philanthropic interventions to address the problem. A CSI approach to redesigning the curriculum. Here is a challenging thought: with all the technology and expertise available in the private sector, is it possible to construct an alternative curriculum, independent of the bricks and mortar of the national education policy, top heave bureaucracy and curriculum. This is the stuff of true disruption.

There is a crushing responsibility resting on the shoulders of those who manage CSI funds. Should they continue in the old way which creates glamorous photo opportunities for the CEO.

Or do they strike out, link with like-minded forward-thinking leaders in other CSI environments, pool their resources, their influence and their skills and contribute far beyond their wildest imaginings?

If ever there was a time to do that, that time is now.

End

*Being the outcome of an online discussion on The power of disruptive education: a challenge for corporate social investment held on the 9th of July 2020.

The Panel comprised of top thought leaders, who are making a difference.

The Panelists included:

• Basetsana Kumalo – Executive Chairman & CEO of Basetsana Woman Investment Holdings (Pty)Ltd.
• Commissioner Angie Makwetla – Commissioner of the South African Human Rights: South African Human Rights Commission (SAHCR)
• Kusile Mtuzi-Hairwadzi – General Manager: MTN SA Foundation
• Gugulethu Ndebele – Executive Director: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]