21 May 2004

President Thabo Mbeki told Parliament on Friday that the government would speed up the process of developing the skills of South Africans, and also focus on identified shortfalls in this regard.

In his State of the Nation Address at the first joint sitting of SA's third democratic Parliament, President Mbeki said the government would ensure adequate funding of technical colleges and proper alignment of courses offered.

"By the end of the year, we will compile a register of all graduates so as to link them up with the Umsobomvu Fund, learnerships, and other schemes and institutions that would help them to start their own businesses or get jobs", Mbeki said.

He said that since last year's Growth and Development Summit, the government had reached the figure of 64 000 learnerships.

"We have already studied our experience in this regard. Arising from this, we will engage all the Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas), to increase the uptake of learners and improve the focus on skills that are in short supply", Mbeki said.

Mbeik added that Cabinet would soon finalise SA's immigration regulations, in order to ensure that the country accessed the scarce skills it needed from the rest of the world.

Source: BuaNews

	GOVZA: State of the Nation Address

STATE OF THE NATION 2004 Time to walk the talk: Mbeki SA's progress: the real story SA's economic turnaround: Mbeki Fight poverty: grow the economy Public works for all provinces '53 000 on ARVs by 2005' Govt to improve public safety More support for small farmers Govt to fast-track skills training Housing delivery: more speed SA's role in Africa to continue Govt to set up BEE advisory body Govt to launch Batho Pele portal Mbeki tells people: get involved Imbizo: govt, people interface

10 Years of Freedom: South Africa 1994-2004 Looking back on 10 years of freedom. Looking forward to a future Alive with Possibility.