Hierdie artikel handel oor landelike werkloosheid. Suid-Afrika ly tegelykertyd onder ’n
vaardigheidstekort en ’n hoë werkloosheidsyfer. In landelike gebiede is die probleem selfs
groter as in metropole. Die institusionele werklikheid van onderrig is dat elke klein dorpie
oor ’n hoërskool beskik, wat primêr poog om leerders vir verdere studie voor te berei, terwyl
Verdere Onderwys en Opleiding (VOO) kolleges (voorheen tegniese kolleges) slegs in groter
sentra gekonsentreer is. Gegewe hierdie werklikheid, is die vraag wat hoërskole kan doen
om die probleem te verlig. Dit is opmerklik dat landelike werkgewers nie van skoolverlaters
verwag om oor toepaslike kennis te beskik nie, maar wel oor die vermoë en bepaalde
persoonlikheidseienskappe wat hulle opleibaar sal maak. Selfs dít vind hulle nie altyd by
jong mense wat hul skoolloopbaan suksesvol voltooi nie. Onderwysers, ook van ’n teoretiese
vak soos lewenswetenskappe, kan ‘n bydrae lewer deur enkele nietradisionele insigte by die
onderwyspraktyk in te lyf.
This article addresses unemployment in rural areas. South
Africa is also characterised by skills shortage and high unemployment figures, especially in
rural areas as compared to urban areas. The institutional reality of education is that every
rural village hosts a high school which is primarily engaged in preparing learners for further
studies, whilst the Further Training Colleges (previously known as technical colleges) are
mainly located in the larger centres. It is with this scenario as a backdrop that the possible
role of high schools to alleviate the problem is being argued. It is clear that rural employers do
not expect from school leavers to be in possession of applicable knowledge, but rather to be
in possession of the ability as well as certain personal characteristics that would make them
employable. Unfortunately, however, this is not always found in young persons who have
completed their schooling successfully. Life Sciences educators can render a valuable service
should certain nontraditional approaches be incorporated into the teaching practice. This will
enable them to contribute to solving one of South Africa’s serious problems.