The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Integrating ICT in the South African Education System

Authors

  • Andrew Enaifoghe Department of Public Administration University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa
  • Tolulope Balogun Department of Library and Information Science, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa
  • Oluwafemi Sunday Afolabi Department of Library and Information Science, University of Zululand, KwaDlangezwa, South Africa

Keywords:

Fourth Industrial Revolution, Rethink, Social Realities, Development, Education

Abstract

Purpose: The study look at the Fourth Industrial Revolution with the integration of ICT in the South African education system. The prospects and the latent benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in advancing the significance of education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) have been highlighted in several studies and reports. ICT has become the foremost tool for building knowledge societies and it could provide a way to rethink and redesign the educational systems, thus leading to quality education for all. Motivation: As new ttechnologies are rapidly changing the world’s economies, from cultural to social realities, the question remains how prepared is the South African education system is in positioning the current generation for the 4IR. This paper explored the role of ICT Integration for the South African education system. Methodology: Anchored on the qualitative research approach, this paper collected data through secondary sources, that is based on a systematic analysis of the literature of the baseline data collected of a constellation randomized controlled sample.  Findings: Findings show that the sub-Saharan region has an overall share of high-skilled engagement as a result of the imminent disruption to employment and skills brought by the 4IR. Recommendation:  There is a need to invest in ICT in the South African education system to equip the learners with the required skills and knowledge required to compete in the 4IR. Originality: No study has been conducted in this area of study that recommend the need to invest in ICT at primary education level.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Acemoglu, D. and Restrepo, P. (2016). The race between machines and humans: Implications for growth, factor shares and jobs, VOX, CEPR’s Policy Portal. Retrieved from https://www.nber.org/papers/w22252.

Acemoglu, D. and Restrepo, P. (2017). Robots and jobs: Evidence from the US, National Bureau of Economic Research. Working Paper No, 23285. Retrieved from https://irs.princeton.edu/sites/irs/files/event/uploads/robots_and_jobs_march_3.17.2017_final.pdf

Ajani, O.A. and Gamede, B.T. (2020). Challenges of high school learners' transition into universities: a case of a South African rural university, Gender & Behaviour, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 15803-15812.

Albert, S. and Mercedes, G.S. (2010). The role of information and communication technologies in improving teaching and learning processes in primary and secondary schools, ALT-J, Vol. 18 No.3), pp. 207-220.

Brown-Martin, G. (2017). Education and the fourth industrial revolution, available at: https://www.groupemediatfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/FINAL-Educationand-the-Fourth-Industrial-Revolution-1-1-1.pdf.

BusinessTech (2019). Here’s how many South Africans are graduating with computer science degrees Business Tech, available at: https://businesstech.co.za/news/it-services/ 340491/heres-how-many-south-africans-are-graduating-with-computer-science-degrees/.

Chao Jr, R. (2017). Educating for the fourth industrial revolution”. University World News, Vol. 10, available at: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php? story=20171107123728676.

Cloete, A.L. (2017). Technology and education: Challenges and opportunities, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 1 – 7, available at: http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/ hts/v73n4/36.pdf.

Creamer Media (2019). Collaboration key to driving SA’s 4IR progress, available at: https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/collaboration-key-to-driving-sas-4ir-progress-2019-06-05/rep_id:4136.

Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) (2019). Post–School Education And Training Monitor Macro–Indicator Trends, available at: https://www.dhet.gov.za/ SiteAssets/Post-School%20Education%20and%20Training%20Monitor%20Report_ March%202019.pdf

Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) (2018). Statistics on post-school education and training in South Africa. Retrieved from Department of Higher Education and Training. March 2018

Du Plessis, P. and Mestry, R. (2019). Teachers for rural schools–a challenge for South Africa, South African Journal of Education, Vol. 39 Supplement 1, available at: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/saje/article/view/190868/180043.

Economist Intelligence Unit (2020). Economic and geopolitical insight guiding the world’s organisations.

Enaifoghe, A.O. (2018). Implication of African Knowledge and Learning System for Internationalization. African Renaissance (AR). Vol. 15, (No. 4), December 2018. pp 227 – 251

Enaifoghe, A.O. (2019). The Decolonization of African Education and History. African Renaissance (AR), Special Issue March 2019. pp 93 – 116

Enaifoghe, Andrew. (2020). Migration, the socio-economic and political development: the South African experience. 17. 103-127. 10.31920/2516-5305/2020/17n2a5.

Frey, C.B. and Osborne, M.A. (2017). The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerisation?, Technological Forecasting and social change, Vol. 114, pp. 254-280.

Fry, B. and O’Neill, K. (2002). Redesigning Leadership Preparation for Student Achievement, In Conference Report, Vol. 4, 2007.

Gastrow, M. (2020). Policy options for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in South Africa, available at: http://ecommons.hsrc.ac.za/handle/20.500.11910/15119.

GetSmarter (2019). The 4th Industrial Revolution: Will South Africa Be Ready for the Jobs of the Future?, available at: https://www.getsmarter.com/blog/career-advice/the-4th-industrial-revolution-will-south-africa-be-ready-for-the-jobs-of-the-future/.

Gleason, N.W. (2018). Higher Education in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Gordon, R. J. (2016). The end of economic growth: The extraordinary technological innovations of the past century are unlikely to be repeated. Prospect Magazine, available at: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/growing-pains-united-states-end-of-economicgrowth-productivity.

Graham, B. M. (2017). Education and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Prepared for Groupe Média TFO

Grant, M. (2016). Learning in the Digital Age, Conference Board of Canada. 2016 http://www.conferenceboard.ca/reports/briefings/learning-digital-age.aspx.

Haldane, A. (2015). Labour’s Share - speech by the Chief Economist, Bank of England, November 2015 http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/Pages/speeches/2015/ 864.aspx

Heather, C. (2018). Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Relocate Global. 13 August (2018). https://dam-prod.media.mit.edu/x/files/papers/edutainment.pdf

Jones, K. (2020). How Technology is Shaping the Future of Education, available at: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/how-technology-is-shaping-the-future-of-education/

Kitur, C.L. and Rotich, S.K. (2014). The impact of technology on human labour productivity in organisations in Kenya, Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 145 - 150.

Maharajh, R. (2018). Africa and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The Need for “Creative Destruction” Beyond Technological Change, available at: https://za.boell.org/ en/2018/12/04/africa-and-fourth-industrial-revolution-need-creative-destruction-beyond-technological

Mail & Guardian (2019). What does fourth industrial revolution even mean?, Mail & Guardian, available at: https://mg.co.za/article/2019-09-05-what-does-fourth-industrial-revolution-even-mean/.

Manyika, J., Chui, M., Miremadi, M., Bughin, J., George, Katy, Willmott, P., and Martin Dewhurst (2017). Harnessing automation for a future that works, McKinsey Global Institute, available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/digital-disruption/harnessing-automation-for-a-future-that-works.

Mapulane, P. (2019). Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Colloquium, Higher Education, Science and Technology, Parliamentary Monitoring Group, available at: https://pmg.org.za/committee-meeting/28912/.

Mathomo, M. Moila. (2006). The use of educational technology in Mathematics teaching and learning: An investigation of a South African Rural secondary school, Ph. D. Thesis, University of Pretoria.

McCrindle, M. and Renton, S. (2018). The Future of Education The Future of Education, available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335159813.

Mezied, A. A. (2016). What role will education play in the Fourth Industrial Revolution?, World Economic Forum, available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/what-role-will-education-play-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/.

Mngxati, V. and de Haas, J. (2018). Unlocking digital value for business and society in South Africa, Accenture, available at: https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-93/Accenture-Unlocking-Digital-Value-Updated.pdf.

National Development Plan (NDP) (2020). Chapter Nine: Improving education, training and innovation. Pretoria

Nomalungelo, G. (2018). Three-Stream Model; Fourth Industrial Revolution: Department progress report. Basic Education. 08 May 2018

OECD (2013b). Education at a glance. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

OECD (2014). Measuring Innovation in Education: A New Perspective, OECD Publishing, Paris, available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264215696-en

OECD (2015). Policy Brief on the Future of Work, May 2016 https://www.oecd.org/ els/emp/Policy%20brief%20%20Automation%20and%20Independent%20Work%20in%20a%20Digital%20Economy.p

OECD (2016c). Education at a Glance 2016, OECD, September 2016 http://www.oecd.org/ education/education-at-a-glance-19991487.htm

Oyedemi, T. and Mogano, S. (2018). The digitally disadvantaged: Access to digital communication technologies among first-year students at a rural South African University, Africa Education Review, Vol. 15 No.1, pp. 175-191.

Ramaphosa, C. (2020). A national strategy for harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution: The case of South Africa. The Brookings Institution, available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2020/01/10/a-national-strategy-for-harnessing-the-fourth-industrial-revolution-the-case-of-south-africa/.

Resnick, M. (2013). Edutainment? No Thanks. I Prefer Playful Learning, MIT Media Laboratory, available at: https://llk.media.mit.edu/papers/archive/edutainment.pdf.

Robins, M. (2016). Technological Innovation in Education, Conference Board of Canada, May 2016

Rosenstock, L. (n. d). High Tech High, Teachers as Designers https://vimeo.com/105605942

Samans, R. and Zahidi, S. (2017). The Future of Jobs and Skills in Africa Preparing the Region for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, World Economic Forum, available at: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_EGW_FOJ_Africa.pdf.

Schwab, K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means, how to respond, World Economic Forum. available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/.

UNESCO (2003). Towards Knowledge Societies, Communiqué of the ministerial roundtable, available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/ wsis_geneva_prepa_ministerial_round_table_communique.pdf.

World Bank (2017). South Africa Economic Update: Innovation for Productivity and Inclusiveness, available at: http://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/ 779551505322376708/pdf/119695-WP-PUBLIC-SA-EU-2017-Digital-Version-Sep-19.pdf.

World Economic Forum (WEF) (2018). Harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Sustainable Emerging Cities, Fourth Industrial Revolution for the Earth Series, available at: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Harnessing_the_4IR_for_Sustainable_ Emerging_Cities.pdf.

Xing, B. and Marwala, T. (2017). Implications of the fourth industrial age for higher education, The_Thinker__Issue_73__Third_Quarter_2017, available at: https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/ papers/1703/1703.09643.pdf.

Ahmadi, H. and Marwala, T. (2017). Implications of the Fourth Industrial Age on Higher Education. Tạp chí Nghiên cứu dân tộc. http://dx.doi.org/10.25073/0866-773X/87

Downloads

Published

31-07-2021

How to Cite

Andrew Enaifoghe, Tolulope Balogun, & Oluwafemi Sunday Afolabi. (2021). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Integrating ICT in the South African Education System. Researchers World - International Refereed Social Sciences Journal, 12(2), 34–44. Retrieved from https://researchersworld.com/index.php/rworld/article/view/471

Issue

Section

Articles