Education debate: Cut politicians’ perks in favour of pupils, says BOSA

22 October 2024

Build One South Africa (BOSA) extends our heartfelt best wishes to the matric class of 2024 as they begin their final exams this week. We recognize the immense pressure on these young South Africans, and we applaud their hard work, determination, and resilience.

However, BOSA remains deeply concerned about the broader state of our education system. The 13 million learners in schools across this country are routinely let down by a system that fails to provide the support, tools, and opportunities they need to succeed.

The recent appointment of Minister Siviwe Gwarube under the Government of National Unity (GNU) presents a real chance to break from past failures and to rebuild our education system from the ground up. This is an upgrade from her predecessor, Angie Motshekga, who for 15 years allowed standards to drop and schools to crumble

This is a chance to address the systemic issues that have held our learners back for far too long. BOSA stands ready to work alongside the new Minister to fix what is broken and ensure that every South African learner can thrive in an education system designed to help them reach their full potential.

This process begins with safeguarding education funding. In next week’s mid-term budget, we will firmly oppose any attempts to cut the education budget. BOSA will table amendments to plug the funding gap, ensuring that no teaching posts are cut—up to 3,000 of these critical positions are at risk. Cutting teacher numbers is cutting the future of our children.

BOSA will table cuts to politicians’ perks and to SOE bailouts, and for these funds to be redirected to employing teachers, building classrooms, and equipping young people.

Furthermore, we will collaborate with Minister Gwarube to implement large-scale changes to our education system. Her own party, the DA, has long opposed the 30% pass mark in matric. Today, we echo that call.
We appeal to the Minister: let us set a higher standard for our children. A 50% pass mark should be the minimum. Anything less is preparing our youth for a life of unemployment and wasted potential.

Let us not only wish our matriculants success but work to create a system where their success is guaranteed. BOSA is willing to work alongside the Minister and her department to achieve substantive reform to basic education in South Africa.

Issued by Roger Solomons, BOSA Acting Spokesperson, 22 October 2024