SA’s education system is hobbling innovation and stifling growth
SA’s poor education system is hobbling innovation and stifling economic growth, top economist Azar Jammine warned on Thursday at the launch of the National Advisory Council on Innovation’s (Naci) latest science, technology and innovation indicators report. "The ability to think sufficiently to innovate properly is driven by education. It is not just teaching you how to read and write, it is also teaching you how to think and solve problems," said Jammine, who is MD of Econometrix. "It means there are too few people who end up being able to do work that is useful to society, and too few people who are in a position to be employed in areas where they can add value. This, in turn, translates into a low level of productivity, which has negative macro-economic effects," Jammine said in a telephone interview with Business Day. Naci’s report draws on previously published research to paint a picture of how SA’s innovative capacity has evolved over the past decade, highlighting constraints i...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.