Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma has given a stern warning to all school principals, saying that they must do their work and manage their schools appropriately.
"We mean business. If you are a principal your school is failing, you can't stay there, impossible," said the President during an interview with SABC on Sunday.
He said there was a need to have the "right teachers with the right attitude" at schools and that the education must be relevant to the demands of today.
Education has been identified as the key to addressing South Africa's troubles and moving forward.
"If we are to address all the ills that face our country, education is the key. If you have not educated your population, it means they are not empowered to participate in economic activities, or in any other activity.
"Any nation that looks forward to development must skill and educate its population. It's critical, and that is why when we're focused on it," he said, adding that it was therefore critical that government invest in education.
He said this was also the reason behind his decision to splitting the Department of Education into two, namely the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training.
"We've split the ministries so that there is specific focus given on both, but critical at the basic education, because that's where the formative years are. That's where you shape a human being."
He also said that a solution must be found for those who fail matric. "Some might not be good in a particular line or disciplines, but they may be good on some handwork, on some other training."
President Zuma's remarks come less than a week after he announced that government will implement a new plan that aims to empower teachers.
The President made the announcement during a fund raising gala dinner for the ''Jacob Zuma Education Trust'' at Somerset West in the Western Cape last Thursday.
The plan includes giving teachers laptops to help improve the standard of education and training. Through the "Teacher Laptop Initiative", President Zuma said government aims to equip every teacher with the necessary tools to improve their working conditions.
Mr Zuma said the project, to be phased in over two years, will start at the beginning of next month.
