Education, Training, Research and Development

Abstract

Education is generally, and often somewhat uncritically, considered to be a ‘good thing’. It is important that one should question the accuracy and value of some of these ‘universal truths’. For example, raw statistics on numbers of children in school do not give any indication of the quality, standard, content★ and relevance to the students’ future careers. Manpower planning is a notoriously inaccurate and difficult exercise but some attempt should be made to assess future needs and relate them to the educational system. The unemployed school leaver is a world-wide problem. Tett¹ quotes the Kenya development plan of 1970–74 where it is stated that ‘of the 138,000 secondary school leavers, 70,000 of whom will have completed four years’ secondary education, perhaps less than 50 per cent will obtain wage employment’.

To transmit from one generation to the next the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of the society, and to prepare young people for their future membership of the society and their active participation in its maintenance and development.

President Julius Nyerere