Original Research: Social Responsibility and Education

Life Sciences and employability

Wynand J. Boshoff, William J. Fraser
Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Natuurwetenskap en Tegnologie | Vol 31, No 1 | a378 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/satnt.v31i1.378 | © 2012 Wynand J. Boshoff, William J. Fraser | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 11 July 2012 | Published: 19 November 2012

About the author(s)

Wynand J. Boshoff, University of Pretoria, South Africa
William J. Fraser, University of Pretoria, South Africa


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Abstract

This article addresses unemployment in rural areas. South Africa is also characterised by skills shortage and high unemployment figures, especially in rural areas as compared to urban areas. The institutional reality of education is that every rural village hosts a high school which is primarily engaged in preparing learners for further studies, whilst the Further Training Colleges (previously known as technical colleges) are mainly located in the larger centres. It is with this scenario as a backdrop that the possible role of high schools to alleviate the problem is being argued. It is clear that rural employers do not expect from school leavers to be in possession of applicable knowledge, but rather to be in possession of the ability as well as certain personal characteristics that would make them employable. Unfortunately, however, this is not always found in young persons who have completed their schooling successfully. Life Sciences educators can render a valuable service should certain nontraditional approaches be incorporated into the teaching practice. This will enable them to contribute to solving one of South Africa’s serious problems.

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