Lesufi must stop forcing his political agenda on schools

13 November 2017

The FF Plus in Gauteng condemns the Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, for his ignorant announcement in the media earlier today. Amongst other things, he said that single-medium schools no longer belong in the province and that the people of Gauteng should not test his patience, while he once again played the Apartheid card.

In reaction to Lesufi’s tirade, the FF Plus MPL in Gauteng, Mr Philip van Staden, said that Lesufi must stop forcing his political agenda on schools and that he should stick to fulfilling his role of Education MEC in Gauteng.

“Experts in the field of education across the world agree that mother-tongue education promotes better academic performance on school level. The high drop-out rate and poor performance of learners in South Africa is a direct result of the lack of mother-tongue education in our schools.

“It is the MEC’s responsibility to supervise schools, to ensure that education in the province runs smoothly and that the Department does its duty.

“Lesufi, however, is forcing schools and parents to follow his agenda instead of just doing his job as MEC.

“Lesufi needs to realise that, according to the Constitution, every single language group in the country has the right to mother-tongue education and that applying pressure as the MEC to hinder access to such education, is a gross infringement of this constitutional right.

“He should rather pay attention to those schools in the province that are not functioning at all, which is the result of the fact that the ANC government erected very few schools since 1994,” says Van Staden.

Issued by Philip van Staden, FF Plus MPL: Gauteng Legislature, 13 November 2017