Quality education not a privilege but a necessity says Vavi

By Khanyisa Tabata
21 March 2010


Cosatu General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says a public education system that is top-quality, accessible and affordable is not a privilege for a few but a right for every South African.

He was addressing an Equal Education Campaign march in Cape Town.

Vavi says such an education system is also a necessity if we are serious about transforming our society and building a just and prosperous South Africa. He says education is arguably more important than any other area of development.

Cosatu’s spokesperson Patrick Craven says quite rightly education is one of the five priorities for the ANC and the government. It is one of the cornerstones of their developmental strategy.

“COSATU has thrown its weight behind your mounting grassroots campaign to get libraries into every public school in the country. It is absolutely scandalous that only eight percent of public schools have adequate libraries, mostly in privileged former Model C schools.

“Of the 1 550 790 South African children who started school in 1998, only 551 940 of them registered for the matric class.