“Our learners cannot be without identity documents. Not on our watch”, says the Valued Citizen’s Initiative (VCI)

Some of the ills within our education system are resolved simply by enabling access to learners 16 years and older with their democratic right to an identity document (ID), which is vital to their progress, careers and lives.
The Valued Citizen’s Initiative (VCI)  says that the ‘ awful truth in South Africa currently is that the number of children above the age of 16 years without an ID has multiplied. The Department of Home Affairs has simply not risen to the challenge to provide IDs to learners in poor communities, since the launch of the new smart card process.

“As Valued Citizens Initiative, we firmly believe that it is essential to develop constitutional literacy in young people. This process starts with giving children an ID. Our School, Lights and Rights Campaign, made this application process possible through the partnership with La Voix de l’Enfant and Engie Foundation and is touching the lives of learners from nine public high schools across the Gauteng Province. This Valued Citizens campaign seeks to ensure that obtaining an ID is a priority for our youth in order to be able to protect their rights, have a voice and take responsibility as valued citizens of South Africa, said Valued Citizens Initiative’s founder and managing director Carole Podetti-Ngono.

“To put it mildly, the lack of an ID document is crippling at best. An ID is a right and a basic necessity. They can do very little without it.”

“Through our Schools, Lights and Rights Campaign we have managed to assist 1089 learners to obtain their ID, 406 learners to complete registration and 604 learners are in the process of registering. This is only a drop in the ocean and as Valued Citizens Initiative, though we would love to help all the learners, we cannot reach them all in time for the upcoming matric exams. Without a buy in from government, where we collaborate and explore viable solutions, this issue will be a painful one to resolve and our young people will be worse off for it.
“Our children who show great potential and do well in their basic education years are stifled when trying to pursue higher education and other avenues of growth and economic participation. This cannot happen on our watch,” she says.

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“Some of the challenges in obtaining smart IDs since the green barcoded identity books were discontinued in 2017, include the frequent changes in compliance requirements. Be that as it may we have also noted with appreciation that since April 2018, the Department of Home Affairs is making efforts to open on Saturdays in order to accommodate our learners. Valued Citizens Initiative has taken advantage of this opportunity to reach its targets of registering 1 800 learners”, adds Podetti-Ngono

“The Schools, Lights and Rights campaign focus is not only limited to the issue of IDs. However at this moment, as the months dwindle ahead of this year’s preliminary exams, this is an issue of paramount importance. An ID is crucial for citizens to be fully integrated in society including passing matric, casting a vote during political elections, applying for higher learning and securing employment. To put it mildly, the lack of an ID document is crippling at best. An ID is a right and a basic necessity. They can do very little without it.”