13th August 2008

"The Inkatha Freedom Party believes that the time has come for government to stop wasting time and to start implementing basic free education, as a matter of urgency", said Mr Alfred Mpontshane MP, IFP Education Spokesperson, today.

Mr Mpontshane commented: "We want to remind government that the South African Constitution reads as follows: everyone has the right to a basic education, including adult basic education; and to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible.

"Education in South Africa underwent major changes with the passage of the South African Schools Act of 1996. The act was intended to abolish the previous racially based education system in South Africa and thus facilitate the democratic transformation of education. But this has so far only proved to be a pipedream with many poor South Africans still unable to access good, quality education.

"Government's funding formula, which was designed to redress imbalances between the poor and affluent schools, have failed. No-fee schools and fee exemptions have also proved unsuccessful. At the moment, former model C Schools and wealthy independent schools, who have better infrastructure and better resources, are still not accessible to the poorest of the poor - while resources at poverty-stricken schools remain inadequate.

Mr Mpontshane continued: "Therefore, the IFP calls on government to make education free up to and including Grade 12. We must do away with the half measures characterising the status quo.

"While we acknowledge that government inherited a racially discriminatory education system, it has nonetheless failed to provide all South Africans with quality education, and there remains a vast gap to the education provided to the poor. The IFP believes far more must be done to address the inherited inequities and to ensure the education system affords everybody the means to fulfil his or her full potential," concluded Mr Mpontshane.

For further Information contact: 
Mr Alfred Mponthsane MP: 083 441 6201
Liezl van der Merwe: 083 611 7470