Address by the Mec for Education, Mr Siphosezwe Masango, on the Occasion of the RCL’s Indaba, Penryn College

5 April 2005

Programme Director
Executive Mayor of Nkangala District Municipality – Clr. SPD Skhosana
Nkangala Regional Director – Mr JJ Mabena
Colleagues from the Department of Education
Representatives form the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
Representatives from the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)
Representative from the Mpumalanga Youth Commission
Representatives from the Department of Home Affairs
Members of RCL’s
Teacher Liason Officers
The Leadership of Learner Formations
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen

We are on course to educate the nation!

I feel greatly honoured to be part of this historic Indaba which brings together leaders of tomorrow, to discuss a plethora of issues affecting our education, and to ultimately, plan for the realization of a better life for all.

It has always been my belief that there is no better way to invest in the future of a nation than to invest in the youth and this can best be achieved through education. The late former President of the ANC, Cde O.R. Tambo correctly said: “A country that does not care for its youth, does not deserve its future.” To this I can’t agree more.

Programme Director, let me begin by acknowledging the positive contributions made by our learners in the ongoing transformation of our education in the Province. Most learner leaders have demonstrated good leadership skills in the various spheres of leadership where they participate.

The South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996) makes provision for learners to be members of School Governing Bodies (SGB’s). This is one of the areas in which the learner representatives have served with distinction, the workload of schoolwork notwithstanding.

Learner leaders have also made positive contributions in the management of schools through their participation in the Representative Council of Learners (RCL’s) as prescribed in the SASA (Act 84 of 1996).

I would therefore, Programme Director want to salute these learners and leaders of tomorrow for their unselfish and selfless contributions and dedication to bringing about change and stability in our schools.

The education system we inherited from the past was littered with inadequacies. However, we cannot until eternity, moan and squeal about our infamous past.

As leaders of tomorrow you must be instrumental in ensuring that we free ourselves from this nauseating past and participate fully in the sustenance and functioning of our education system.

I therefore want to underline the full essence of the fact that the twin principles of equity and redress in our schools need the involvement and the sound leadership of learner leaders of your calibre.

I want us to look at some of the challenges facing our school- going youth today:

Gangsterism

Some schools have become breeding grounds of crime and gangsterism. There are some learners who carry dangerous weapons to school which are used to carry out acts of crime or reign of terror against fellow learners. We should, bear in mind that schools should be Centres of Excellence and need to be utilized as such.

Some of today’s school- going youth have become drug couriers and addicts and this has eventually reduced some schools to centres of drug trading. Learners should be aware of the risks associated with this activity.

This is unacceptable!

Vandalism

Vandalism is one of the problems facing our communities today. Young people are the main culprits here. In our debates and deliberations we need to engage one another with a view to coming up with lasting solutions. As you are aware, there are more vandalized schools in our townships, rural areas and farms schools than in the suburbs,

You cannot afford to engage in acts that damage school property, furniture and other equipments. The facilities you are using must be jealously looked after, for use by the later generation of learners.

Truancy

Truancy and the bunking of classes contribute negatively to learner achievement. I invite all learners to take their studies very seriously in order to ensure a better and a brighter future.

Poor school attendance and ill – discipline also contribute to a high failure rate amongst learners. It becomes a serious problem when a student leader is also involved in acts of truancy and lack of self-discipline. Leaders at all levels should lead by example.

Rape and Sexual Violence against Women

It has come to our attention that most girls are victims of rape and other forms of sexual violence. This is a matter of serious concern which must feature highly on your agenda for vigorous debate.

Women like all other human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. It cannot and should not be you who embrace acts that continue to deprive women of their human dignity.

The caring and humane society we strive for will always be judged by the extent to which we treat the most vulnerable in our communities such as the children, the disabled and the women.

It is my considered view that these challenges of vandalism, truancy, rape, gangsterism and drug abuse are issues that need all of us to work collaboratively as RCL’s, SGB’s, Teacher Organizations, Religious Leaders, Traditional Leaders, and all other Community-Based formations to fight against.

As a leadership I enjoin you to occupy the front trenches in the war against these ills. As youth leaders you are more better placed than ourselves to talk about these problems to your peers.

Here are a few questions for us to think about:

As a learner leader, am I contributing to a stable teaching and learning environment?
Am I a good example to fellow learners?
What contribution am I making towards making my school a Centre of Excellence?
What role am I playing in fighting drug trafficking and abuse?
Am I correctly leading and advising fellow learners?
What contributions am I making towards making my school a safe environment? Do I report crime or do I promote this social evil?
Do I promote or discourage gender-based violence?
What contributions do I make towards creating a better South Africa?

I am asking these few questions because as a department we engage teacher organizations to ensure that their members must teach - of course this is a job for which they are employed.

But who is telling the learners to learn effectively? Who is telling them to be disciplined learners? Once again my view is that the leadership of the RCL’s is better placed to engage the learners on these matters as their own elected leadership and I think you should not be shy to play this important leadership role.

In the Policy and Budget Speech which I presented to the Legislature on the 29th June, 2004 I said: “As we journey from the First Decade of Freedom into the Second Decade of Freedom, it is our considered imperative that our education must deliver “a new learner cadre and a new intelligentsia, truly moulded and baptized in our revolutionary ideas”.

This has to happen and must happen, because South Africa and Africa have to produce a truly patriotic intelligentsia which will be the unapologetic disciple, adherent and proponent of the African Renaissance and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)”

For us to be able to produce the patriotic intelligentsia referred to above, we need learner leaders who would boldly and unashamedly say NO to all the social ills (drug abuse etc.) mentioned above.
The future demands that you must thoroughly prepare for a take over of all key and strategic leadership positions. To achieve these you need to be educated and skilled citizens of our Province and South Africa.

The daunting exercise of building and further shaping the economy of this Province will definitely need your skills, ideas and expertise. You are therefore a vital and indispensable part of the equation in the ongoing effort to build a South Africa of our dreams.

As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Charter, I hereby invite you to strongly oppose and fight all efforts and activities that seek to undermine our efforts of producing “a new learner cadre and a new intelligentsia, truly moulded and baptized in our revolutionary ideas”.

The Class of 2004 did the Province proud by achieving an improved pass percentage of 3,8% thereby making Mpumalanga the most improved province in South Africa, and this excludes the 14 schools that were under investigation by Umalusi, the quality assuror in matric exams.

Ayihlome Ifunde!