The United States has partnered with South Africa to strengthen academic programmes, skills development and student support at 12 selected further education and training (FET) colleges in the country.
The US-South Africa Partnership for Skills Development, which brings together South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training and the United States Agency for International Development, was launched in Waterberg in Limpopo province this week.
South Africa: Secretary Clinton Visit Housing Project Site The Secretary grins as Patricia Matolengwe, signals to the singers to end their song. Khayelitsha, Cape Flats, Aug 8, 2009. Ms. Matolengwe is the Managing Director of South Africa Homeless People's Federation.
The US$6.7-million (about R49.1-million) programme, which will operate over a three years at FET colleges in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape, will be implemented by the American Council on Education and American Association of Community Colleges.
The programme will work to strengthen the FET college sector’s institutional capacity in student support services programmes. It will offer a wide range of professional development programmes for college lecturers, while providing consultative support through partnerships with the private sector and exchange opportunities with US colleges and universities.
South Africa: Women Using Water Pump USAID has provided assistance for various water pump projects to assist in improving the delivery of clean water to rural villages in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Transforming education
The programme will build on past US and South African government cooperative efforts to strengthen the role of FET colleges to help train and provide employment opportunities for South Africa’s underemployed, particularly those under the age of 25.
“We are delighted to have this opportunity to help build new bridges between the US and South African higher education communities, and in doing so, help South Africa tap into lessons learned from US community colleges to expand the learning opportunities for disadvantaged youth,” the American Council of Education’s Madeleine Green said in a statement.
South African Woman Cares for her Country's Vulnerable Children Phyllis Malope, center, cares for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Westonaria, a poor community outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. USAID helped train Malope and other staff on how to interact effectively with local governments. Over time, this strategy paid off. The organization received some funding, and staff learned skills like how to help HIV/AIDS orphans obtain identity documents and access government grants.
Community colleges are the largest and fastest growing sector of higher education in the US, enrolling close to half (46%) of all undergraduates.
“We hope that this collaboration will help the South African FET colleges transform the way education and services are delivered to students and establish new relationships with their communities,” added the American Association of Community Colleges’ James McKenney.
HIV-Positive Mothers from South Africa Visit White House U.S. First Lady Laura Bush meets with South African women from the Mothers to Mothers-To-Be project at the White House in February 2006. These HIV-positive women live in Cape Town, where they participate in a USAID-supported project called Mothers to Mothers-To-Be. It helps HIV-positive mothers-to-be cope with the illness, receive medications and deliver healthy babies.
‘Key institutions’
In his State of the Nation Address earlier this year, President Jacob Zuma identified FET colleges as primary sites for skills development over the next five years.
In addition, FET colleges have been identified as key to broadening post-school education and training opportunities.
South African Educators Take Math, Science Teaching Skills Back Home from Study Program in U.S. These math and science teachers are helping improve South Africa’s educational system. Under a USAID-supported program, educators come to the United States to observe schools and attend workshops on learning strategies, curriculum development, assessment, management, materials and leadership. The program focuses on math and science — neglected subjects that have the most direct connection to economic development in South Africa.
South African Educators Take Math, Science Teaching Skills Back Home from Study Program in U.S. These math and science teachers are helping improve South Africa’s educational system. Under a USAID-supported program, educators come to the United States to observe schools and attend workshops on learning strategies, curriculum development, assessment, management, materials and leadership. The program focuses on math and science — neglected subjects that have the most direct connection to economic development in South Africa.
THANK YOU USAID!!!!!
Source: buanews.gov.za, southafrica.info, usaid.gov
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