#YouthPowerBeyondTheBallot
Equal Education (EE) is disappointed by the lack of urgency displayed by government officials from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the Presidency by ignoring the memorandum of demands handed over by 3,000 Equalisers (EE learner members) at our march to Parliament on 10 May. Government officials publicly assured learners that a response would be provided within three working days (Wednesday 15 May). As of today—five working days later—government has failed to deliver on this promise. This is disappointing as one of the key steps in prioritising and realising equal and quality education is strengthening accountability and transparency. It is disheartening that the impassioned demands of learners to address the crises in the basic education sector are yet again met with indifference and a lack of urgency.
In a society where education is often heralded as the cornerstone of progress and prosperity, the role of government in ensuring universal access to quality education cannot be overstated. Therefore, learners —limited by age to participate in democratic processes such as voting—marched to Parliament to share their lived experiences, highlight the barriers to accessing education that exist in under-resourced schools, and sound a call for these to be urgently addressed. Each of the demands emphasises the need for government to be transparent and to include accountability mechanisms that capacitate the public to hold it accountable. Government’s silence in response to those learners experiencing the consequences of its failures only emphasises its lack of accountability and political will.
The tendency for government to make commitments and neglect to act, or inadequately respond to them, is not new. In numerous instances, EE has underscored that crucial information regarding education spending, infrastructure development plans, and progress on the implementation of key policies remains inaccessible to the public. For instance, progress on infrastructure delivery reports are often released late or not released at all, and neglect to include all required information. This is despite a legal duty to report on key elements related to their progress. EE has therefore repeatedly been left to pursue formal routes such as the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) requests to obtain information that should have already been publicly available. Even so, these requests are met with a lack of urgency and disregard for deadlines outlined in the PAIA Act. Our most recent PAIA request to the DBE was made on 11 March 2024, more than 60 days later, we have yet to receive the information requested. This lack of transparency not only hinders meaningful public participation in education-related matters but also undermines the accountability of government to the very individuals it is obligated to serve—the learners.
Moreover, the lack of accountability fosters a culture where government officials may prioritise political agendas—particularly in the build-up to the national election—over the educational needs of learners and the broader school community. These actions not only undermine the integrity of the sector but also perpetuate cycles of inequality and marginalisation, disproportionately affecting vulnerable black communities.
Transparency and accountability are essential pillars of a functioning democracy and a just society. In the context of education, they are indispensable for ensuring that every learner, regardless of socio-economic background or geographic location, can access and benefit from quality education. EE demands that the government—at the very least—responds to demands made by Equalisers in a manner that matches the commitment that these learners have shown to ensure that all current learners and future generations will have access to equal and quality education.
[END]
To arrange an interview:
Sesethu August (Equal Education Communications Officer) sesethu@equaleducation.org.za or
WhatsApp 083 890 8723 / Call 063 221 7983
