"Education is not an employment bureau for adults" says Graeme Bloch

Bloch, moderator of this year's African Education Week opening session on 20 June at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa is also a regular contributor to African Education Week, which takes place from 19-22 June 2013, says "It is the discussions, the meeting of colleagues, the wide input of stakeholders and the practical orientation that keeps bringing me back to African Education Week."

Now in its seventh year, it remains the continent's leading educational resources and training event, attracting more education professionals than any other event. The conference programme addresses challenges in Basic as well as Further and Higher Education and the Technology Indaba focuses on the increasingly important roles of technology and e-learning in the classroom.

Get our schools working

Asked what made him smile and what made him worry regarding South African education, Bloch states, "The kids are what make me smile, their energy and optimism. They will fly if we let them. Education is not an employment bureau for adults."

He continues "the main challenge is a big one: to get our schools working. We need better accountability from politicians and government; better teaching; fair and more resources to fight poverty. Jobs for our young people. It will not be easy or quick: we have to do it: parents, community and teachers working with government."

The event is increasingly becoming pan-African, with an international panel discussion part of this year's programme:
Discussion theme: "Developing more effective school and higher education institutional partnerships"