Hon Chairperson, every year around 16 June, the youth of South Africa are reminded of the heroic efforts of the young people of 1976 who stood their ground against the apartheid regime and against the efforts of the government to dehumanise them by forcing them to learn in a language that was not their own.
The youth of today still battle with the government, but it is a different battle. The youth are fighting against unemployment, illiteracy, poor education, HIV and Aids.
The 20 years of democracy find the youth of South Africa still fighting for their place in the economy of the country. They find a youth that is unable to create wealth, a youth that is living in debt. It finds a youth that is still fighting to get a decent education. The fight against the oppression of a foreign language is now replaced by the fight against an indifference to education.
The 20 years of democracy find young women who are still dependent on the state for survival, who have very few choices and little control over their future, their lives, their careers or even their own bodies. Violence against women and children is greater than it has ever been.
The 20 years into democracy has found an entire generation without hope. The young people are daily faced with poor nutrition, poor living standards, poor teaching, few opportunities and little encouragement. This has created a poverty trap.
After 20 years of democracy, we still have serious deficits in our education. An inadequate number of learners take up mathematics. Most school-leavers lack competency in reading, comprehending and writing. Technical education is also inadequate. Those who have mathematics, strong writing capabilities and the right technical skills are ready to contribute to the economy. Unfortunately, skills demanded in the workplace are the very skills that continue to be seriously in short supply.
Today, as we debate this most important topic, we must accept that the quality of the education our children get is satisfactory to those who will be seeking to employ them... Thank you. [Time expired.]