Presentation to:

THE JOINT MONITORING COMMITTEE ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE & STATUS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH & DISABLED

PERSONS

DST ALLOCATION OF FUNDS & PROGRAMMES FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH & DISABLED PERSONS

28 OCTOBER 2005

CONTEXT

The availability and supply of highly skilled researchers and scientists, capable of the highest quality of research and development, including the production of new knowledge, is of the utmost importance to the sustained growth of the South African economy and its improved competitiveness in a world economy which is increasingly becoming knowledge-based

The principal goals of the Department of Science and Technology are laid out in the National Research and Development Strategy of 2002. In terms of these goals, the DST strives to achieve, amongst others, the development and maintenance of a highly competent and representative cohort of scientists in South Africa.

CONTEXT

• Achieving representivity in terms of adequate representation of vulnerable groups remains a challenge

• 2003 STATS SA finding shows that 60% of the total population of youth in SA is either out-of-school youth who are not learning, or unemployed

• We need to identify and develop practical interventions that can be implemented to overcome this challenge – develop dynamic inter-sectoral partnerships that can strategically address the situation

DST CONTRIBUTION

• Interrogating departmental budgetary allocations are important mechanisms for determining whether government departments are spending money in a manner that delivers on promises they’ve made

• The DST’s approach to human capital development internally as well as within the rest of the country, is rooted in the need to increase the number of previously disadvantaged groups. Here specific reference is made to women, people living with disabilities and the youth.

BUDGETARY PROGRAMMES

A. TARGETING THE YOUTH

(youth as defined in National Youth Strategy as those between 14 and 35 years of age)

Broad focus areas: 1. SET Programmes for FET Schools,

2. SET Human Capital programmes,

3. Internship & Experiential Learning

4. Learnerships

A. TARGETING THE YOUTH:1. SET for FET Schools

Table 1. SET for FET programmes

Broad programme Amount (2005/06) No. of beneficiaries

1. Out-of-School programme 9 500 000Science week-170 000Media outreach- 2 million

2. Career Programme 8 826 268  20 000 booklet

3. Curriculum Support Programme 4 231 740  

Total 22558008  

A. TARGETING THE YOUTH:2. SET for HUMAN CAPITAL

Table 2. SET Programmes for Human Capital

Broad Programme Amount (2005/06) No of beneficiaries

1. Postdoctoral Fellowship 30 000 000 100

2. Unemployed Science Graduates 2 000 000

Database being set up

3. Professional Development Programme 15 000 000 67

4. Centres of Excellence 15 000 000 166

5. Knowledge Society Research Chairs 10 000 000 5

Total 72 000 000 338

A. TARGETING THE YOUTH:3. INTERNSHIP & EXPERIENTIAL

LEARNING

Table 3. Internship & Experiential Learning

Programme Amount (2005/06) No of beneficiaries

Internship & Experiential Learning 3 500 000   60

Total 3 500 000   60

A. TARGETING THE YOUTH:4. LEARNERSHIPS

Table 4. Learnerships

Programme Amount (2005/06)

Learnerships872 000

 

Total872 000

 

BUDGETARY PROGRAMMES B. TARGETING PEOPLE LIVING WITH

DISABILITIESTable 5. Allocations towards People Living with Disabilities

Programme Amount (2005/06)No of beneficiaries

1. Feasibility Study: Local Manufacture of Wheelchairs 400 000 0

2. Computer Aided Design (CAD) in a School for the Physically Disabled 355 000 25

3. Digital Doorway at School for Disabled 6 000 000 700

Total 6 755 000 725

BUDGETARY PROGRAMMES C. DST CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE

GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE

Table 6. Technology for Poverty Reduction & Social Impact

Programme

Amount (2005/06)

1. CSIR projects106 045 749

 

2. TWR projects15 400 000

 

3. ARC projects 24 061540

 

4. MRC projects6 990 000

 

5. INR projects3 100 000

 

6. MINTEK projects1 600 000

 

Table 6 continued…

Table 6. Technology for Poverty Reduction & Social Impact

ProgrammeAmount (2005/06)

7. Beufort West Hydroponics6 900 000

 

8. KZN Dept. of Agriculture1 000 000

 

9. Imbaula Implementing Agency1 900 000

 

10. ARDRI1 400 000

 

11. University of Stellenbosch12 000 000

 

12. Fetakgomo Local Municipality2 000 000

 

13. Limpopo Dept. of Agriculture1 230 000

 

14. HSRC6 000 000

 

15. University of KZN6 00 000

 

Total190 227 289

 

BUDGETARY PROGRAMMES C. DST CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE

GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE

Table 7. Technology Transfers

Programme Amount (2005/06)

1. Tshumisano Trust 18 000 000

2. Godisa Trust 24 000 000

Total 42 000 000

CONCLUSION

DST programmes aim for inclusiveness and representivity of all previously disadvantaged groups, especially

children, the youth and those living with disabilities, so as to build a thriving and

competitive knowledge-economy thank you…