Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, esteemed guests who are present here, this year we celebrate the anniversary of Chief Albert Luthuli who, 50 years ago, penned an article entitled "If I were Prime Minister". In 1960, he was also the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. When he received it, Dr Wilmot, he did not say: "I receive it as the author of Let My People Go," but he received it in his magnanimous way on behalf of South Africa and the people of Africa.
In this article, "If I were Prime Minister", Chief Albert Luthuli speaks about the importance of education, and he says:
Education is a paramount unifying factor in building consciousness and pride - a healthy community spirit. In my nonracial democratic South Africa there can be no question of a different system of education for different racial groups.
He speaks also in that article about the importance of ensuring that we provide free education for primary school and progressively to learners up to matric, and ensure that we donate generously and magnanimously to those who are at university. He also speaks in this article about the importance of ensuring that we provide opportunities for those who are illiterate. He says that the demands of a democratic society are such that we no longer should have homogenous learning communities but an integrated nonracial community, so that we can ensure that there is patriotism and human solidarity.
That is what Chief Albert Luthuli spoke about and today, as we assembly here and listen to the inputs, we can indeed celebrate the fact that more than eight million children in our schools attend no-fee schools, that no single learner who is indigent or destitute would, by law, be compelled to pay a fee. Today we can celebrate the fact - and Albert Luthuli would certainly have celebrated the vision - that every indigent or poor learner who goes to school would be receiving a nutritious meal. Today, more than 10 million children receive a nutritious meal every day. [Applause.]
He would celebrate the fact that in our nonracial democratic society, the classroom is no longer a homogenous group which determines where a nation must move forward; it is a heterogeneous community of learners. This indeed means that educators who teach in that environment would have to have increased and enhanced skills in terms of dealing with multicultural and multilingual environments. Yet we tend to forget about that.
Dr Wilmot, it is not what you say that troubles me; it is what you do not say. You failed to tell this House, and you ought to tell this House, that this Minister had promised a year ago that she would deliver - the first of its kind - some 11 million workbooks to enhance literacy and numeracy. Indeed, 11 million workbooks, in 11 official languages, have been delivered, so that every learner from Grade 1 to Grade 6 is in possession of a workbook. [Applause.]
You failed to mention that the Minister recognised and affirmed the importance of literacy and numeracy as being fundamental to the progress and the quality of education, and to that end she had committed herself to the Annual National Assessment taking place for Grades 3, 6 and 9. She went beyond that; she ensured that every learner from Grade 1 to Grade 6, plus the learners in Grade 10 who would previously be in Grade 9, would be assessed. More than 95% of the learners in our system were assessed through the ANA process, a publicly accountable process which speaks to the challenges of literacy and numeracy.
If Chief Albert Luthuli, who was a teacher committed to the ABC and a politician committed to the ANC ... [Laughter.] [Applause.] ... were to sit here today and listen to this audience, he would say: "My God, things have changed in the 21st century."
Chief Luthuli would recognise the changes in terms of technology, that we are a technologically driven society, and he would say to the hon member from Cope: "Do you recognise the enormous capital in social interaction through the networks?" Do you recognise the fact that MXit is an important platform where more than 65 000 learners receive information and education? Are you saying that we should be confined to the old standards of teaching and learning, that we cannot integrate ICT into our technology? He would say to you, Madam: "I witness these changes, but I also see the challenges. I see that more than 6 000 schools are multigrade schools, and it is important that we enhance the capacity of those educators by ensuring that we have enabling instruments in those schools, such as ICT." So it is not business as usual to use the power of technology to ensure that we are able to enhance quality education.
He would say to Dr Wilmot James: "You have spoken the truth about the importance of the gateway subjects of mathematics and science." But as a reverend, a priest, a man of the cloth - because he was that too - he would say: "You have failed to tell them that in 1994 only 3% of black children in the Bantustans did mathematics on the higher grade." [Interjections.] Today, we have more than 150 000 learners who are doing it; in fact, there are approximately 300 000 black learners that are doing mathematics. [Applause.] Why do you withhold this information? Why do you deny this country and this democracy the right to say that we had enormous challenges, yet we are progressing from year to year on the basis of our commitment to change the lives of our people?
Chief Luthuli would say to Dr Wilmot James that the Dinaledi programme, which was initiated in 2002, had only 102 schools but today there are 500 schools, and they are located principally in townships and rural areas, where the poor and indigent people are. These schools produced 32% of the passes in mathematics of 50% plus, and have produced 35% of the passes in science of 50% plus. In fact, more than one third of the science passes in the Dinaledi schools were between 60% and 70%, and these schools make up less than 9% of the total number of high schools. These are black learners that we are talking about.
Chief Luthuli would say to you, Dr Wilmot James: "You are indeed right. We must focus on the gateway subjects. But why do you not share this truth with the people, I ask you, as a man of the cloth." [Applause.] That would be what Chief Albert Luthuli would say.
Chief Luthuli would say to you that you spoke about the challenges at our institutions of higher learning. Indeed, it is so, but have you forgotten to tell the people that in 1994 less than 30% of the population in tertiary institutions was black, and today more than 70% of the institutions are made up of black people? And you failed to tell them that more women graduate at our universities than men, and it was totally the opposite in the past. And you failed to tell them that there was absolutely no parity and equality amongst the girl learners and the boy learners, and today the girl learner is surpassing the boy learner. Why is it that you withhold this information? [Applause.] [Interjections.]