Deputy Speaker, last week the Minister of Finance announced that a record R62 billion had been allocated to the post-school education sector and R203 billion to the basic education sector. Parliament's work of overseeing and adjusting the budget allocations will now start in all earnest. Notwithstanding huge improvements in the quality of primary and secondary education, more needs to be done to ensure that more young people access post-school education. The unfortunate reality is that too many of our people are still living in extreme poverty and that equal access to education opportunities is not yet available to all South Africans.
The reality is reflected in the finding that in 2010 South Africa had 3,2 million 18 to 24-year-olds who were not in education, employment or training. This is more than double the 1,25 million 18 to 24-year-olds who were enrolled at universities and in the further education and training college sector.
Opportunities for remedial training or further formal skills acquisition after leaving secondary school in South Africa remain limited. This is due to household poverty levels, the nature of the tertiary education system, the failing sector education and training authorities, and the former FET college sector.
Fortunately, the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training identified these systemic weaknesses, and dramatic interventions are being made to adjust the post-school system for the country as a whole. Thank you. [Time expired.]
