South Africa to send 100 students to China to learn ‘advanced skills of the future’, says Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane

Minister of Higher Education and Training Nobuhle Nkabane said after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the People’s Republic of China, where she was part of the delegation of ministers, that South Africa will send about 100 students in the coming year.

Nkabane told reporters in Pretoria that the South African students will travel to China to learn scarce skills as part of a long-term partnership between the two countries.

“I recently returned from China as part of His Excellency President Ramaphosa’s delegation to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). What we need to understand is that we have a long-standing partnership with the People’s Republic of China in various areas of higher education and training that continues to grow and support South Africa’s knowledge and skills development,” she said.

“Our involvement during this visit is in line with South Africa’s strategic goals regarding technological advancement and international cooperation in education. We will send approximately 100 students to China over the next year to study scarce and critical skills of the future, as we move forward in the skills revolution to address the skills mismatch that the country currently faces.”

Minister of Higher Education and Training Nobuhle Nkabane at the swearing-in ceremony of cabinet ministers of the Government of National Unity. File photo

Earlier this month, IOL reported from Beijing that People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping made a historic move during his meeting with heads of state at the FOCAC summit in Beijing by announcing unprecedented financial support packages worth $50.7 billion (about R904 billion) in various forms for the African continent.

President Cyril Ramaphosa was received by President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping during his state visit at a prestigious ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing earlier this month. Photo: Presidency

More than 50 African leaders, including Ramaphosa and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, attended the China-Africa forum.

Xi said at the auspicious opening ceremony of the Forum at the Great Hall of the People that China will work with Africa to carry out 10 partnership actions for modernization over the next three years, deepening China-Africa cooperation and taking the lead in the modernization of the Global South.

China and Africa account for a third of the world’s population. Xi said that without modernization between China and Africa, there will be no global modernization.

Under the Partnership Action Plan for Education Cooperation, Xi pledged that China would provide 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, mainly for women and youth – in vocational education.

African leaders applaud Chinese President Xi Jinping after his speech at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: GREG BAKER / AFP

Last week, IOL reported that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu had returned from China, where he attended the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum held in Lianyungang city in Jiangsu province.

The international platform brought together security leaders from around the world to discuss the pressing issues of public safety and security in a global context.

The Ministry of Police said that during his working visit to China, Mchunu had an important bilateral meeting with Chinese Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong.

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu toured the People’s Republic of China, where he held talks with China’s State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong on the sidelines of the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum in China. Photo: X

Mchunu said that part of the funding going to South Africa will be used for South Africa’s fight against rampant crime and corruption, underscoring the country’s commitment to creating a safer and more secure environment for all citizens.

“The main conclusion of the forum is that crime is a global problem that transcends borders, and no country, regardless of crime rates, can tackle it alone. International cooperation between countries and law enforcement agencies, such as Interpol, is essential in the fight against transnational crime,” said Mchunu.

IOL