Getting the basics right

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Cape Town - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says her department will continue focusing on getting the "basics right" in order to fix the education system.

Motshekga was reacting to President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address on Thursday night.

Speaking to BuaNews, she reiterated that her department wanted to see teachers in class on time and that learners should have enough textbooks.

"We are trying to get the system to function," she said.

Motshekga, who described Zuma's speech as "brilliant", said that it aimed at unlocking the country's potential.

She said job creation in the country was important as it motivated learners to study hard.

She pointed out that it was demoralising for many learners to discover that even though they pass, they could not find jobs.

Meanwhile, responding to Zuma's speech, Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Leader Prince Mongosuthu Buthelezi told BuaNews that the President should have said more on education.

He said that the education system was in a crisis and needed to be fixed.

On the whole, he said, the speech outlined impressive plans, but was hardly surprising.