Minister of Communication during the handout of tablets and shoes to Limpopo schools
The Principal
HOD’s
Members of the School Governing Body
Learners – the most important people in this gathering
Members of the media
Good morning to you all
Our hero and global icon and former president Nelson Mandela once said:
“Education is the most powerful tool you can use to change the world. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of a mine that a child of farmworkers can be become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”
Ladies and gentlemen, the ANC-led government spends more on education than any other country in Africa. This money goes into building and maintaining school buildings, paying salaries of teachers and other staff members, purchasing equipment and materials needed, paying utilities etc., all of which are necessary to produce excellent learners who will go on to help grow the country to its fullest potential. However, the sad reality is that the return on this investment continues to be far below expectations. In terms of performance, our learners are outperformed by their peers from some of the poorest countries in Africa, especially in literacy, Mathematics and Science. Clearly there’s a lot that we need to do change this situation. The ANC-led government is committed to working with all stakeholders in the education sector to achieve excellence in education.
Programme Director, great strides have been made in the provision of basic education in our country since the dawn of democracy in 1994. However, one of the biggest headache we are facing, especially in the basic education sector, is the high dropout rate of learners. Statisticians tell us that almost half of South African children who start Grade 1 don’t go on to complete Grade 12. They fall along the wayside, many of them girls – leaving school because of pregnancies. This is a gross waste of human potential and harms the life-chances of many young people.
I have no doubt that everyone present here today knows that brilliant person they grew up with, who was very clever and did well at school, but who never went on to do anything meaningful with their lives. We must all work together as communities, government and teachers to change that! Secondary school completion rates are 77% in the United States, 87% in the UK and 93% in Japan. South Africa should aim for a comparable completion rate of between 80 to 90%.
Education helps to fight poverty, curb the spread of disease and is an engine of economic growth. Education is a prerequisite for tackling poverty and promoting short and long-term economic growth. No country has achieved continuous and rapid economic growth without at least 40% of adults being able to read and write (GCE, 2010).
South Africa and specifically Vhembe District Municipality has continuously contributed tremendously to the achievement of great Matric results in our country. We have to continue working to ensure that this district is known for its excellent contribution to education. This challenge therefore present opportunities to all of us to ensure repositioning of our academic institutions at all levels (Primary, Secondary and tertiary institutions of learning). We have to ensure that schools produce children who can read, write and do arithmetic. To the learners, I want to say that it is only through education that you can get that dream job or become a successful entrepreneur who can employ many people.
I believe it is possible, if we do the following:
- Encourage students to consider local academic institutions. We see parents stretching their family budgets to send their children to schools in far-flung places. Children wake up extremely early and have to travel in unroadworthy vehicles to attend school. We must improve the schools in our neighbourhoods so that they are attractive to learners and their parents.
- Provide support to students through community structures (FBO, SANCO, SGB, COSAS, SASCO and political organisations). This support is very critical to ensure that we do not have students loitering around the streets during school period. We also have to ensure that school infrastructure is used adequately to enhance student performance.
- Protect and preserve our school infrastructure, and guard against vandalism. Community must always see and view these schools as their resources. It is also critical that we guard against the theft of tools, equipment and other study oriented materials. Please don’t buy that computer, TV set or gardening tools that have been stolen from your child’s school. If you buy them you are robbing your own child!
- Put in place effective and efficient student registration channels ready to assist learners. Parents please ensure that your children are registered for school the year before they start. Don’t bring your child the day before school opens.
I must reiterate that we do not want learners dropping out of school as a result of things that we can prevent such as teenage pregnancies and drug abuse. Girls and boys, you are at school to learn, to better yourselves and achieve your dreams. Focus on that objective please. Girls, it is books before boys, let it remain so. Boys, stop chasing our girls, instead spend your energy chasing A’s!
I thank you.
