The Looming Threat of the 5th Industrial Revolution: Will South Africa’s Education System Be Able to Keep Up?
As the 5th Industrial Revolution (5IR) rapidly approaches, companies are faced with the daunting task of upskilling their staff to take full advantage of this technological shift. But what does this mean for South Africa’s education system, which is already struggling to produce students with the necessary STEM skills?
Dr. Alfred Hove Mazorodze, a software engineering lecturer at Belgium Campus ITversity, warns that without human involvement and interaction, companies will be left behind, unable to increase productivity and become more profitable. "The 5IR should be seen as an opportunity to develop employees, and not a threat," he emphasizes.
However, the harsh reality is that South Africa’s education system is woefully unprepared for the demands of the 5IR. A recent TIMSS study found that only 37% of Grade Five learners had acquired basic mathematical knowledge, while 36% of Grade Five science learners had a basic understanding of the subject.
But there are glimmers of hope. The Department of Basic Education has launched a Mathematics Catch Up Programme, and is developing technical schools in every district. Additionally, over 20,000 teachers have been trained in coding and robotics, and digital skills.
However, the challenges are far from over. At the university level, the number of staff with STEM qualifications has been declining, and TVET colleges are struggling to keep up with the demand for skilled workers. The National Advisory Council on Innovation’s 2023 South African science, technology and innovation indicators report shows that there has been no change in universities enhancing their academic capacity in terms of staff for STEM subjects.
And what about those already in the workforce? Will they be able to adapt to the new technologies and tools that will be required to work with the 5IR? The answer is a resounding no, unless they are properly mentored and educated through hands-on approaches that enable them to directly work with the new tools.
In conclusion, the 5IR is not a threat, it is an opportunity to enable companies to develop skills that will allow staff to better enjoy their jobs, take on new challenges, and improve productivity and profitability. But for this to happen, South Africa’s education system must be able to keep up with the demands of the 5IR. Will it be able to rise to the challenge? Only time will tell.
