ActionSA writes to French Ambassador to reconsider award for Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga

13 October 2023

ActionSA has written to the Ambassador of the French Republic to South Africa, David Martinon, to reconsider awarding Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, the Knight of the French National Legion of Honour for her contribution to education.

As a party which values quality education, ActionSA does not believe Motshekga’s performance as Minister of Education merits an award. In her 14 years in office, South Africa’s education system has continued to stagnate and worsen, as illustrated by the following statistics:

- In 2021, 81% of grade 4 learners could not read for meaning in any language (up from 78% 2016, and only 1% better than 2011, where the rate was 82%). This decline means that South Africa has lost a decade of progress in reading skills. According to education specialist Nic Spaull, the failure to progress on reading skills constitutes a “generational catastrophe.”

- While Minister Motshekga claims that the matric pass rate has improved during her tenure, any improvements also take place within the context of lower pass requirements. Most importantly, however, the real matric pass rate (when considering the grade 10 cohort in 2020) in 2022 was approximately 53%.

- Youth unemployment, currently at 60.7%, has consistently increased under Motshekga’s watch, indicating the failure of our education system to empower young people with economic opportunity.

In addition to these harrowing statistics, South Africa faces an impending teacher shortage crisis, children continue to die in pit toilets, and high rates of teenage pregnancies rob young girls of access to opportunity. In almost every objective standard, Minister Motshekga’s reign as Minister of Education has been an abject failure, robbing millions of young South Africans from a brighter future.

ActionSA therefore wrote to ambassador Martinon to reconsider the decision to make the award to Motshekga as it rewards consistent poor performance.

ActionSA believes education in South Africa needs to be reformed by focusing on fixing the basics, breaking the grip of teacher unions on the education department, reintroducing technical schools, and restoring the role of school inspectors.

We believe quality education is one of the quickest pathways out of poverty by giving people the tools to change their lives.

ActionSA hopes the ambassador reconsider the decision, and instead lobby for improved education outcomes.

Issued by Herman Mashaba, ActionSA President, 13 October 2023