The University of the Witwatersrand’s prestigious education policy unit (EPU) has relaunched itself by announcing a new research focus – the relationship between education and the labour market.
Wits’s EPU is the only remaining unit its kind in South Africa, and the need for the work tradtionally associated with is dying, said new director Professor Peliwe Lolwane.
“We are not trying to revive the unit in its current form but rather want to explore an area that would be useful in today’s climate,” she told the Mail & Guardian at the launch last week.
“Hopefully the Research into Education and the Labour Market Programme (Real) will help us to conceptualise and theorise the relationship between labour and education.
“We don’t have a proper education plan in this country and we are looking to assist in filling that gap.”
Lolwane said the Real programme will run over the next five years. It was too early to give details, she said, but “what I can say is that we want to develop policy for the further education and training [FET] sector. There are lots of people working in the area but you realise that is being tackled in a minute way.”
The Real research will begin in 2011, but Lolwane said the groundwork is already in place. “I have been fortunate to have highly qualified academics and professionals such as Dr Ross Hershowitz, Jean Gamble and Dr Stephanie Allais on board to assist in conceptualising the research areas,” she said.
“And already we have four or five master’s students who want to work within the scope of the unit.” The students will be funded by Sasol, and the EPU is looking for other donors to fund its activities.
Explained Lolwane: “The university definitely won’t be able to foot the bill but there have been some positive noises coming from corporates. South African companies are not used to funding research, however.
“The Minister [of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande] has also hinted that he would be willing to look at funding as this is the sort of intelligence needed by his department so we should be able to get what we need.”