China’s success is sometimes attributed to the long-term mindset of Chinese leaders. A classic example of how China has made remarkable progress on the back of long-term thinking is its approach to education. The Chinese government has repeatedly prioritised education reform – from primary school to university – in its plans. Slowly but surely this approach has delivered results for the Chinese economy. In addition to creating greater access to higher education, the government has identified the need to update curricula to meet real-world needs. China is sending its young people into the world to receive top quality education and it has also been expanding its private education sector, which includes facilitating international education across the country. Some of the world’s better universities have a presence in China – Duke University and The University of Nottingham are two of several examples – as do independent schools like Eton, which counts many British prime ministers among its alumni. This week the International Monetary Fund underscored the benefits to the South African economy of prioritising education reform, cautioning that significant economic growth is highly unlikely without significant changes to the education system. South Africa has one of the worst education systems in the world, according to The Economist, yet it spends considerable sums on education compared to many other countries. Sadly, with many ANC leaders preoccupied with the short-term gains of black economic empowerment and feathering their own nests, a major – and effective – overhaul of education seems unlikely for now. – Jackie Cameron 

By Matthew le Cordeur

Cape Town – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said broad-based reforms to education are needed to boost growth in South Africa, which it predicts will remain below 1% in 2017.

Oya Celasun, deputy division chief at the IMF, said that in 2016 South Africa’s growth “was stuck in low gear” and that 2017 will “improve somewhat … to a still-weak pace of recovery of 0.8% and then improve a bit further” to 1.6% in 2018.

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BULAWAYO – Zimbabwe Special Permit (ZSP) holders are nervous about their future in South Africa as it remains unclear whether Pretoria would renew their documents, which expired at the end of December this year.

The South African government is yet to indicate the course of action it will pursue over the expired ZSPs, causing jitters among their holders who constitute a larger percentage of Zimbabweans in the Rainbow Nation.

An estimated three million Zimbabweans are said to be in South Africa, most of them illegally.

In 2012, Pretoria issued ZSPs to allow thousands of Zimbabweans illegally working in Africa’s most industrialised economy to regularise their stay there.

The permits first expired on December 31, 2014 and were renewed the following year for three years.

Out of the 200 000 applications received back then, slightly over 185 000 were approved while the rest were rejected.

All Zimbabweans with a crime-free record were eligible to apply for the special permits. The South African Department of Home Affairs had to waive all the stringent requirements that are normally associated with acquiring a work permit in the neighbouring country.

During the time, the South African government also invited Zimbabweans, who had fraudulently acquired national identity cards and passports of that country, to surrender them and apply for the special permits without any retribution.

Ngqabutho Mabhena, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, recently circulated a notice assuring members of his association not to panic, saying in their engagements with the Department of Home Affairs they had been told not to worry about what would happen beyond December 31.

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