By Hosia Sithole
As more than a million candidates of the matric class of 2020 sit for the final exams between now and December 15, there is a pervasive sense of disempowerment that assails them, and this requires support from across the spectrum of our society.
Education is one of the sectors still reeling from the global coronavirus pandemic. This is especially so for rural and township schools, which experience overcrowding and lack of basic resources. As a result, Grade 12 pupils are writing their exams in an unprecedented environment as they lost valuable learning and study time.
One would assume that the lack of basic necessities such as water has brought to the attention of the pupils the need to flood the water sector with a new set of skills and innovations.
One of the driest countries in the world, we need the ingenuity of our youth. Our future water security is heavily dependent on young people, and therefore they should be encouraged not to think about outsourcing this responsibility but owning it and making it their own.
Opportunities should therefore be made available so they become part of the driving force to effect the innovations needed in the sector.
Over the years we have seen the youth proving themselves to be alive to the pressing issues facing the country. They are ready and willing to be part of solutions that we consciously seek to make our country a better place.
The youth outnumber other age groups and so they should come out in their numbers to deal with the water woes we continue to experience.
It is said that the future belongs to the youth, but one thing that threatens this future most seriously is the shortage of water.
The matric class of 2020 should recognise this reality because their very lives and those of future generations depend on it. For them, this should be one of the most pressing issues that demand their attention.
As they look forward to becoming part of higher education institutions, they must realise that the water sector needs them to acquire skills appropriate for solving the challenges in that sector.
It is for this reason that the Department of Water and Sanitation supports the youth through several programmes. One of these is the South African Youth Water Prize Competition. It is a response to the chronic shortage of critical skills in the water sector.
To give effect to its vision to replenish the depleting skills in the sector, the department identifies talented pupils from grades 9 to 11 who can provide innovative solutions to tackle water-related challenges in areas such as wastewater treatment, water quality and water ecosystem.
The competition also promotes the protection of natural resources and encourages the youth to actively participate in integrated and community based water resource management.
Accordingly, the department encourages the class of 2020 to go on to pursue every available career in the water sector to extract the country from the quagmire of water insecurity and to find lasting solutions.
Hosia Sithole is a communicator in the Department of Water and Sanitation, Gauteng region.
The Star