Date: 08/11/2002
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: Asmal: Opening of CIDA City Campus


ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF CIDA CITY CAMPUS, Johannesburg, 8 November 2002

Cabinet Ministers
Mr Taddy Blecher, CEO CIDA City Campus
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am here today to add my words of congratulations at the official opening of the CIDA City Campus. When we mark the beginning of a new life, whether that of a human being or an organisation for that matter, we always do so through ceremonies and celebrations. Certainly today is no exception. More so perhaps, since CIDA itself believes ardently in innovation and in contributing something new to higher education in this country.

CIDA has found a niche in the higher education landscape in that all its students come from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is particularly important given the challenges of increasing access to education.

As a country we have made significant progress in this regard. The change in the racial composition of the student body has been striking. The enrolments of black students increased by 61% between 1993 and 1999, i.e. from 249 000 (or 53%) to 414 000 (or 71%) of the total head count enrolments. The change is even more dramatic in the case of African student enrolments. African student enrolments increased from 191 000 to 343 000 between 1993 and 1999, i.e. by 152 000 (or 80%). Thus in 1999, African students constituted 59% of the total head count enrolments in higher education.

Similarly, there have been strides taken in the enrolment of women students, with head count enrolments at our universities increasing by 89 000 (or 44%) between 1993 and 1999, that is, from 202 000 to 291 000. The proportion of women students in the higher education system has risen from 43% in 1993 to 52% in 1999.

This has been made possible through political will, the commitment of Higher Education institutions together with Government. In addition, the vast injection of resources into the Government's National Student Financial Aid Scheme has also played an important role. This year alone the order of R700 million was injected into the scheme. Indeed, 232 000 students have passed through the higher education system as a result of these interventions.

However, I am sure that you will all agree that increased access is not simply about numbers. It is also about creating a receptive institutional culture, which promotes diversity as well as a climate where all people feel affirmed and empowered to reach their full potential. It is only when these values; these shared aspirations of our democracy are embraced, that we can begin to build truly South African institutions.

In order to build on the progress we have made in providing increased access to higher education, partnerships become important in order to meet the genuine human resource needs of our country. It is our belief that the South African economy has the potential to grow significantly if we can deal with the legacy of the exclusion of the majority of the country's population from full participation in the main economic stream. And in doing so all South Africans need to be brought on board for the sake of our democracy.

For our part as Government, we have put in place progressively enabling policies to open up room for those with innovative ideas willing to make a contribution. In this regard, the team at CIDA have been pioneers through using a novel mechanism of establishing a network of local businesses and other international organisations that have led to the establishment of CIDA City Campus. It is commendable that the private sector through organisations such as Investec Limited, First National Bank, Dimension Data, KPMG, MTN, African Bank, Corpcapital, the Kellogg Foundation and PricewaterhouseCoopers continue to support this project.

CIDA City Campus seeks to reinvent traditional models of education through using technology. This could go a long way in enhancing and assisting the learning process. But while we continue to innovate through the use of information technology, we must also continue to uphold the principle of putting the teacher and the student at the centre of the learning equation.

Our approach reinforces the key commitment to ensure that Higher Education is a public good. However, there are those views, which have predominated in determining the path of globalisation, which are currently challenging this notion. Of course, President Mbeki is in turn, trying to ensure that the needs of Africa and the developing world are priorities on the global agenda and he has made significant inroads in this regard.

I am sure you will agree that for us the priority is meeting the human resource development needs of our people in order to build a better quality of life. The innovators among us here today who have begun the CIDA City Campus will probably also wish to hear that out of Africa always comes something new. Ex Aliquid Semper Novi Africa.

I extend my best wishes to the staff and students of CIDA. May you become an example to your community and to our country of what can be achieved with hard work, dedication and integrity? May this new beginning grow to great heights and bear the finest fruits.

I wish CIDA City Campus well and I hope it will make a sound contribution to the building of a prosperous and democratic South Africa.

Ngiya Bonga, ke ya leboga.

I thank you.

Enquiries: Molatwane Likhethe @ 082 573 0397
Issued by Ministry of Education
8 November 2002