Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga used the terms “crisis” and “national catastrophe” in describing aspects of the South African education system.<\/p>\n
This is according to a report by the City Press, following one of the lowest matric pass rates in recent years, which saw over 213,500 pupils fail their final year.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a three-day education lekgotla this week, Motshekga spoke out against the existence of two education systems in the country – one where there is high performance with pockets of excellence; and the other deprived of resources with pockets of disaster.<\/p>\n
“When we ushered in the new South Africa in 1994, we vowed to create a single national education system that delivers quality education for all,” she said.<\/p>\n
Notably, the minister was referring to the Limpopo textbook disaster, in which her department failed to heed a Supreme Court order to deliver textbooks to pupils for the year.<\/p>\n
According to the City Press, to help fix the education system in crisis the ministers called for:<\/p>\n
“If 25% (of pupils) fail, we must have sleepless nights…this is akin to a national crisis,” Motshekga said.<\/p>\n
You can read the full report in the City Press for 24 January 2016.<\/em><\/p>\n New education system on the cards for SA: report<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n News anchor suspended for mocking education minister on air<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on education<\/h3>\n