February 2008

Structure:

Each monthly report will be broken up into 5 different posts. One general post about how we are and what we have been up to and 4 based on investment area (telecommunication, IPR, communication and analytical skills and open and collaborative resources). Each post will be tagged appropriately and all posts from the same month will be categorised as such (this month’s is February 2008).

Education trends:

Each month the Institute of Futures Research publishes a paper about developments in education or technology globally. This month’s Education Trends shows an alarming rate of attrition in the South African education system. Only about a quarter of those that enter the education system matriculate. Given the skills gap we are currently facing in this country, it does not bode well for the next generation.

When reading figures like this, it only strengthens my resolve that we must make systemic change. That is why it is imperative that we face this crisis and start to think about how to solve it, and think about how to solve it now. Building more schools, having feeding programmes and looking at security issues are all vital areas to intervene, yet they do not ask the tough questions. What next? What is beyond? How can everyone benefit? What sort of society are we building? We must allow those with potential and motivation, to have access to, and permission to use, information that could make a difference.