President Jacob Zuma called on the education department to fast-track the implementation of free education to all learners of public schools.

He was speaking in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga as part of the ANC's recruitment drive.

He vowed to personally lead efforts to ensure free education without any further delay.

"When the Polokwane conference took a resolution on the issue for free education, it was not a resolution coming out of excitement," he said.

"Whilst education in other places is taken for granted, there are people who are struggling very hard. The reason is that they don't have the means to take their kids to school therefore the question of free education is crucial."

Every child has a right to education, he said.