South Africa needs more educated citizens who will help the country solve its immediate challenges, such as poverty and unemployment.

I suppose that's the reason government has made it one of its five priorities.

But is it really serious about improving the country's education system?

Splitting the departments into basic and higher suggested it was serious.

However, the facts suggest otherwise.

In the Northern Cape, children have been out of school for more than four months due to service delivery protests over the building of roads.

Education has collapsed in the Eastern Cape. A third court order has been issued to force government to deliver textbooks in Limpopo.

Interestingly, no one has taken responsibility for the state of affairs. No one has been suspended for this mess - and it seems no one is going to be.

If we were in another democracy, the minister of education would have stepped down voluntarily, given the above facts.

But in South Africa, it is a different case: despite her failure to carry out her duty, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga continues to enjoy the support of President Jacob Zuma.

It appears the education of our children is being compromised for politics.

Motshekga will play a key role in swaying votes in Zuma' s favour in Mangaung.

Since the dawn of our democracy, every education minister has introduced his or her own system. And all have failed - the outcome-based system was the worst. Is there no collective vision?

Is there a political will to solve the crisis? Pumping loads of money into education is not enough.

The government needs to do more. There is nothing wrong with asking for help from experts.

Whatever the government decides to do, we cannot continue to do things the same way and expect different results.

Something drastic must be done.