Human resource development as a determinant of the education system of the Northern Province

Abstract

The study was aimed at discovering the extent to which the education system of Venda satisfies the human resource needs of that area. Chapter one not only outlines the aim of the study but also defines certain terminology used in the text. It also gives an outline of the research methodology. Chapter two identifies the theoretical guidelines with regard to how the education system is related to human resource needs. In defining the education system the chapter indicates that education cannot be divorced from the society in which it exists and therefore must be seen as a social, cultural and economic phenomenon. Chapter three examines the manner in which human resources function as a determinant of the education system. In examining the meaning of human resources it indicates the importance of developing the skills of the people as well as indicating the importance of attitudes towards work of the people, thus showing that skills and attitudes together help create good human resources for the growth and development of society. Chapter four indicates general educational needs as well as the criteria to be used for the purposes of this research. It indicates that basic skills should be developed in all people so that they can be able to adjust properly to the workplace. It emphasises the importance of reading, writing, computation and speaking abilities as the basis for education which intends to develop good human resources. Chapter five is the empirical study. It therefore indicates how the postal questionnaire was used. It also contains the results of the empirical study, and explains them. Chapter six gives the conclusions as well as the recommendations that are a result of this research. It concludes that the education system and society are bound together and should not be separated, that human resource development is an important aim of education systems and therefore development should not be one-sided but should be complete, that is, it should include social and cultural skills and economic development. Thus education in Venda should not ignore this, and should be of a good quality as from the lowest standards, so that whether a person has an education of up to Standard 5, 8 or 10 it should not be an insurmountable handicap to adjustment to the work situation.