Zuma was speaking at the first anniversary of the Progressive Professionals Forum at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on 4 September.
The forum was hosted for professionals, entrepreneurs and academics, and the theme was Transformation in Higher Education.
The President raised concern that South Africa had an ageing academic workforce and said the government needed to produce more young intellectuals and researchers for the country to progress.
He said there were more young black people earning postgraduate degrees and said the interest of youth in education augured well for the future.
“With less education, you do less in society, with more education you do more in society,” said Zuma. He added that academic freedom must also include freedom from racial, social, class and regional hindrances.
“It is easy to forget where we came from 20 years into democracy,” Zuma continued. “We need to remind ourselves that times have moved and situations have changed, but we haven’t done everything we need to.”
He added that the number of academics and professionals were a good barometer of the progress made in the county, but he raised concern that South Africa had an ageing workforce at higher education institutions.
Also speaking at the event was president of the forum, Jimmy Manyi and Minister for Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande
Manyi said South Africa was a developing country and had not been transformed, while Nzimande praised Zuma’s achievements, but said there was a big offensive against the government and the President.
