Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi calls for more skills education

Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi is on a mission to fix the education system.

Speaking at a community meeting in Midrand last week, Lesufi said the current education system is in need of transformation.

“We need a strong education system that does not discriminate, an education system that is not based on who can or cannot afford, does not doubt the quality of its teachers, an education system that has an infrastructure that does not subject its learners to a cold day in winter and a hot day when it is hot’,” said Lesufi.

The community meeting with parents and teachers was held on 14 November under the theme – State of Education and Infrastructure Requirements.

Lesufi added that the education system faces these four challenges: Curriculum, teacher development, infrastructure and calibre of learners.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution was high on the agenda as the MEC lamented on how the education system is not skills based. He has called for a change in the narrative of ‘chasing a matric certificate.’

“We are opening schools of specialisation. Some of these schools are in partnership with BMW and Samsung. If we don’t change this, our children will be spectators of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We need to be a multi-certificate nation.” he said.

Lesufi also said he is happy when opportunities such as these arise because the sooner they resolve inequalities within the education system, the better.

He further added that South Africa’s infrastructure development must be in line with the education system. “We need to build schools that can carry the nation for the next 35 years.”

To address issues of transformation, the education department has gazetted a new feeder-zone policy. The previous policy saw learners being limited to schools within a 5km radius.

This means that parents will have the option of taking their children to a school of their choice within a 30km radius.

Lesufi said this newly published policy will ensure that access to schools is fair and transparent.

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