MEDIA STATEMENT

THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WORKSHOP ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECONCEPTUALISED HRD STRATEGY AND MASTER SKILLS PLAN– 13 NOVEMBER 2025

The Human Resource Development Council Secretariat successfully hosted the Workshop on the Implementation of the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy and Master Skills Plan (MSP) on 13 November 2025 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng.

The workshop was led by Mr. Maliviwe Lumka, in his capacity as the Head of Secretariat, and facilitated by Mr. Duncan Hindle, the Chairperson of the HRDC Summit Content Standing Committee (SCSC).

The workshop was attended by key lead implementing agencies (officials from the nine provinces, as well as representatives from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Department of Basic Education (DBE), and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition DTIC) of the HRD Reconceptualised Strategy and Master Skills plan).

The Reconceptualised HRD Strategy and the Master Skills Plan were approved by Council on 5
November 2024. Following this approval, the Director-General of the Department of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi, issued a communique to the Directors-General of the implementing agencies, requesting them to commence with the implementation of the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy and the Master Skills Plan.

The workshop aimed to achieve several key objectives. Firstly, it sought to guide and capacitate implementing agencies-both national and provincial—on the practical implementation and reporting processes of the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy and the Master Skills Plan. Secondly, the workshop provided a platform to deliberate on the Technical Indicator Descriptions (TIDs). Lastly, it served to introduce the HRDC Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Working Committee, which will oversee the implementation of the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy and the Master Skills Plan, and support the operationalisation and roll-out of the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

The MSP, serving as the implementation plan for the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy for 2025-2030, comprises four key goals as outlined below:

• Goal 1: Improving Early Learning and Schooling Outcomes
• Goal 2: Improving the Employability of Youth who are not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)
• Goal 3: Improving the Responsiveness of the PSET system to Skills Demand
• Goal 4: Improving Governance, Leadership and Management in the Public Sector

The Chairperson of the workshop informed members that the Strategy remains a living document until its official launch at the 5th HRDC Summit in 2026. As an outcome of the workshop, implementing agencies were encouraged to begin the implementation of the Reconceptualised HRD Strategy and the Master Skills Plan (MSP), and to liaise with the Secretariat should they encounter any challenges. Furthermore, the Strategy and the MSP will be launched together with an addendum that outlines the objectives, interventions, and indicators in greater detail.

Enquiries:

Mr Lesley Makhubele

Email: Makhubele.L@dhet.gov.za

Cell: (012) 943 3175 or 073 692 9100

Issued by Human Resource Development Council of South Africa Secretariat