Entrepreneurship in basic education will contribute to a job-creating economy
The Department of Basic Education's (DBE) ongoing integration of entrepreneurship education into schools, driven by its E³ (Employability, Entrepreneurship, and Education) initiative, is both timely and urgent, says the author.
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South Africans remain resilient and determined, despite their continued efforts to deal with the challenges of youth unemployment, crime, and poverty. Recent reports from Statistics South Africa show that the youth unemployment rate is 46.1% for the 15-34 age group, 62.4% for the 15-24 age group and 40,4% for the 25-34 age group; these statistics indicate a crisis that requires deliberate intervention.
The Department of Basic Education's (DBE) ongoing integration of entrepreneurship education into schools, driven by its E³ (Employability, Entrepreneurship, and Education) initiative, is both timely and urgent. Recently making headlines through its new partnership with the European Union, the DBE has entered a critical phase of implementation that goes beyond theory.
The focus is now on embedding practical, challenge-based entrepreneurial learning into the national curriculum (CAPS), starting from the foundation phase. With youth unemployment at crisis levels, this initiative represents a strategic shift towards preparing learners not only for the job market but to become job creators in a rapidly evolving economy. This initiative is a great step toward addressing our country's many socio-economic challenges.
According to the CEO and Founder of Centennial Schools, Shaun Fuchs, the challenges we have start with our education curriculum at the basic level. He believes that while South Africa does not have as immense entrepreneurial potential, the education system must do more to equip young people with the skills and mindset to build sustainable businesses. Entrepreneurship has been shown to have a positive impact on various aspects of society, including economic growth, job creation, and social mobility.
However, it is quite difficult to be an entrepreneur in South Africa. The most recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) South Africa Report (2023/24) shows that entrepreneurial activity exhibited notable variation across different age groups. In 2023, the highest entrepreneurial engagement levels were observed among individuals aged 25-34 and 55-64, with 18,3% and 19,8%, respectively. In contrast, the youngest age group (18-24 years) demonstrated the lowest level of engagement, with only 10,6% involved in entrepreneurship.
This disparity suggests that younger South Africans may encounter more substantial barriers to entering the entrepreneurial ecosystem, potentially due to limited access to resources, networks, or entrepreneurial education. These patterns underscore the necessity of targeted support measures for younger and middle-aged prospective entrepreneurs, enabling them to fully realise their innovative potential and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
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Where is the problem, and should we put all the responsibility in the education system?As much as we cannot rely on education alone, entrepreneurship education is a solution that can help learners develop essential and relevant skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity and innovation, opportunity recognition, resilience, leadership, financial literacy and teamwork. These skills are not only valuable in entrepreneurship but also highly valued by employers, making learners entrepreneurial and employable.
To address South Africa's high unemployment rate, the basic education system must shift its focus from preparing learners solely to participate in a job-giving economy to enabling them to actively contribute to a job-creating economy, in addition to the job-giving economy. Traditionally, schooling has emphasised compliance, exam preparation, and readiness for formal employment as the sole path to success.
This model reinforces dependency on the government and corporate sectors for job opportunities. If we are intentional about embedding entrepreneurial thinking, problem-solving, and value-creation skills early in the curriculum, the education system can nurture a generation of learners who view themselves as future job creators, not just job seekers.
However, this approach requires integrating practical entrepreneurship education, design thinking, and local economic understanding into subjects across all phases. Such a shift will promote self-reliance, community upliftment, and long-term economic resilience.
One example is the tt100 Learnership/Internship Programme, which has equipped hundreds of unemployed young South Africans with valuable skills in partnership with The DaVinci Institute, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and others. Supported by the DSI since 1994, this youth empowerment programme showcases and recognises the role of leadership in the management of innovation, and sustainable development with the view to creating an enabling environment for a capable state, through innovation and development of people skills and the capacity of citizens.
These are the routes we must take to bring the concept of a job-creating economy into the basic education system, which aligns strongly with South Africa's national economic goals. Due to the country's high levels of youth unemployment outpacing job creation, shrinking formal sectors, automation and public sector overload, sole reliance on a job-giving economy where employment is expected from the government or corporations is no longer sustainable.
Shifting the focus of basic education towards nurturing entrepreneurial thinking, self-employment, and value creation, learners can be empowered from an early age to become active economic participants. This approach supports several national priorities, including reducing youth unemployment, growing the small business sector, and fostering inclusive economic participation. It also contributes to economic transformation by promoting a shift from consumption to production, enabling innovation, and reducing dependency on the state for employment.
This is in direct alignment with policy frameworks such as the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, and the White Paper on Post-School Education and Training, all of which highlight the importance of entrepreneurship, skills development, and job creation.
I believe that if we are intentional about positioning entrepreneurship as a core outcome of the basic education system, it will help build a resilient, self-sufficient society equipped for the future.
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