The figures released in Census 2023 indicating that 5.2-million people aged 5-24 are not attending school should raise concerns.
This is 200,000 more than in 2011. And without significant intervention, the number is likely to continue rising, with dire consequences.
In an era when jobs are scarce even for the educated and qualified, the prospects for an uneducated person who lacks basic skills such as reading and writing are even bleaker.
Various political organisations are promoting permanent social grants for all unemployed youths. If this proposal becomes reality, the government may have to allocate resources to support a significant portion of these 5.2-million people. Can our country afford it?
Studies have consistently shown that where there is no education, there is little to no employment, leading to an increased likelihood of people turning to crime to meet their basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. The figure of 5.2-million unschooled people signals that South Africa may continue grappling with rampant crime as people resort to illegal activities for survival.
The report revealed that Gauteng has the most young people not going to school, at 1.3-million, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 1-million.
Data provided by Statista, an international online platform specialising in data gathering and visualisation, ranked Pretoria as the city with the highest crime index in Africa in 2023. Second was Durban, followed by Johannesburg. Is it purely coincidence that cities in the provinces with the poorest school attendance are in the continent's top five for crime in 2023?
Regardless of the reasons, urgent solutions must be found to address this issue because, in reality, we are contributing to a bleak future for our country — one with millions of uneducated and unskilled people
Habitat for Humanity emphasises that education provides a host of benefits, including the development of problem-solving skills, critical and logical thinking, and the ability to make independent decisions. Denying anyone an education diminishes potential contributors to society, governance and the economy.
Education opens the doors to opportunities, whereas a lack of education means families remain trapped in a cycle of poverty and government dependence.
But what is also important is for us to get to the bottom of why so many young people are not in the school system.
Education experts Jane Bornman, an Equal Education parliamentary officer, and Ebrahim Daniels, a candidate attorney for the Equal Education Law Centre, last year gave a litany of reasons why children were being kept from school.
These included extreme poverty which led to parents being unable to afford uniforms, additional learning materials and transport to school. In other instances, parents and caregivers chose to keep their children from schools closest to them because of poor infrastructure such as dilapidated pit toilets and classrooms that are falling apart.
Regardless of the reasons, urgent solutions must be found to address this issue because, in reality, we are contributing to a bleak future for our country — one with millions of uneducated and unskilled people.
Educated people are assets to any country and society.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.