Brain drain starts after matric

2003-01-22 10:38

Wayne Muller

Port Elizabeth - Pupils who recently matriculated and untrained workers cannot find work in South Africa, and they form the bulk of thousands of South Africans who leave for overseas annually.

Every year, South Africa also loses qualified teachers who prefer to teach English in Taiwan or teach in British schools where the pay is much better.

These facts emerged from statistics released by the British high commission and Taiwanese embassy in South Africa.

Esmé Humphreys of the Taiwanese embassy said in Johannesburg at least 5 300 South Africans applied to teach in Taiwan, of which 99% taught English.

Humphreys said the figure could be thousands more, since many entered Taiwan on tourist visas only to apply for work permits after a few months.

Most were between the 20 and 50 and said they could earn far better salaries there, said Humphreys.

IT workers recruited for UK

The British high commission in Pretoria said they received 17 520 applications for working-holiday visas from South Africans annually, of which 5% were turned down.

Applicants were between 17 and 27 and worked in Britain for two years. A total of 8 660 South African citizens of British descent emigrated to Britain annually and settled there permanently.

Britain initiated a programme last year recruiting qualified South Africans, mainly in the IT industry.

"They see no future in South Africa," said a commission spokesperson.

People with dual citizenship can move freely freely between South Africa and England and are excluded from the statistics.

- Die Burger Oos