United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions on the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa, in particular resolution 45/19 of 20 November 1990,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General containing an account of the work of the Advisory Committee on the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa and the administration of the Programme for the period from 1 September 1990 to 31 August 1991,

Noting with satisfaction that the recommendations of the evaluation of the Programme undertaken in 1989 as endorsed by the Advisory Committee continue to be implemented,

Recognizing the valuable assistance rendered by the Programme to the peoples of South Africa and Namibia,

Also noting with satisfaction that educational and technical assistance for southern Africa has become a growing concern of the international community,

Fully recognizing the need to provide continuing educational opportunities and counselling abroad to a greater number of students from inside South Africa in a wide variety of professional, cultural and linguistic disciplines, as well as opportunities for vocational and technical training and for advanced studies at graduate and postgraduate levels in priority fields of study,

Strongly convinced that the development of the Programme is essential in order to meet the increasing demand for educational and training assistance to disadvantaged students from South Africa,

Taking note of the recommendations of the International Conference on the Educational Needs of the Victims of Apartheid in South Africa, convened in Paris from 25 to 27 June 199192 by the Special Committee against Apartheid and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in cooperation with the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa,

Noting that in order to address the priority needs of disadvantaged South Africans, the Programme is allocating greater resources for the purpose of institution-building in South Africa, in particular by strengthening black and other institutions of higher learning through a graduate student and junior faculty enhancement programme abroad in the field of educational management and other short-term specialized training courses with built-in returnability and employability of participants,

1.         Endorses the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa;

2.         Commends the Secretary-General and the Advisory Committee on the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa for their continued efforts to develop the Programme so that it can best meet the needs evolving from changing circumstances in South Africa, to promote generous contributions to the Programme and to enhance cooperation with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental agencies involved in educational and technical assistance to South Africa;

3.         Welcomes the main thrust of the Paris Statement on International Assistance to the Victims of Apartheid in the Fields of Education and Training, adopted by the International Conference on the Educational Needs of the Victims of Apartheid in South Africa, with special regard to:

(a)        Supporting and complementing the endeavours of South Africans towards major educational restructuring through quality education, research and development of learning material;

(b)        Providing assistance for the training of the managers of educational change at all levels, including teachers' educators, planners, curriculum specialists and administrators;

(c)        Assisting in training programmes in the fields of public administration, policy analysis and planning, and business management, and strengthening the capacity of institutions and organizations;

4.         Welcomes the recommendation made in the Paris Statement that a follow-up conference be convened in the first half of 1992 under the auspices of the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa and within existing resources;

5.         Calls upon all non-governmental organizations, scholarship agencies and foundations to cooperate with the Programme in making the proposed follow-up conference a success;

6.         Emphasizes that it is incumbent upon the international community to assist in bridging the economic and social disparities in South Africa during the transitional period, particularly in the field of education;

7.         Calls upon non-governmental educational programmes and other non- governmental organizations and individuals concerned to assist the Programme in facilitating the returnability and job placement of its graduates;

8.         Appeals to Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, individuals and international professional associations to use their influence and leverage inside South Africa to assist graduates of the Programme in obtaining access to job opportunities so that they can effectively contribute their professional competence and expertise towards the political, economic and social development of South Africa during the period of transition and beyond;

9.         Considers that under the changing circumstances in South Africa,the Programme should have, in addition to its educational and training programmes abroad, the necessary flexibility to provide, in an appropriate manner, educational and training assistance to disadvantaged South Africans within the country itself;

10.       Expresses its appreciation to all those who have supported the Programme by providing contributions, scholarships or places in their educational institutions;

11.       Appeals to all States, institutions, organizations and individuals to offer greater financial and other assistance to the Programme to enable it to carry out its expanded programme of activities.