South African History Online

Speech by President Nelson Mandela at the Education Africa, presidential and Premier Education Awards

Pretoria, 22 November 1997

Master of ceremonies;
Minister of Education;
Premiers of
provinces;
Distinguished guests;
Recipients of awards.

It is a great honour to join you in celebrating the contribution which our
award winners have made to our people's quality of life. This ceremony
highlights the role of education in realising our goals as a nation.

At the outset I should confess my delight at the impact these awards are
beginning to make in the educational fraternity. For the first time in three
years, there is a marked increase in the number of entries.

These entries and the unprecedented number of guests gracing this ceremony,
from South Africa and further afield, tell us that more people are joining hands
in efforts to improve the quality of education, and to make it accessible to the
majority of South Africans.

They show that we are all beginning to recognise in the most practical way,
that education is central to the success of a whole range of other human
endeavours.

Our own reconstruction and development effort, the renaissance of the entire
continent and our successful interaction in the global village, depend largely
on the progress we make in educating our populations.

In South Africa the challenges are as stark as they are real. The recently
compiled School Register of Needs provides us with hard and cold facts. The
majority of our children, especially in rural provinces, still either do not
have access to basic education or depend on institutions that lack the teaching
media and equipment needed for effective learning and teaching.

Such conditions continue to hinder the progress of the Campaign for Effective
Learning and Teaching that we launched earlier this year. This campaign and the
School Building Program, are vital elements in government's progress in dealing
with the legacy of unequal distribution of resources.

Of course, try as it might, Government on its own cannot achieve our nation's
educational goals. We need to harness the energies and resources of the whole
nation.

It is precisely for this reason that we cannot repeat too often our
appreciation of the role of business; non-governmental organisations and
community organisations in the transformation of education.

Very encouraging too is the increasing participation of parents and students,
in the management of our schools and tertiary institutions.

Government will continue to create the statutory framework to allow all
stakeholders to participate meaningfully in policy formulation and in the
education of our nation.

The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for
economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation. Our
previous system emphasised the physical and other differences of South Africans
with devastating effects. We are steadily but surely introducing education that
enables our children to exploit their similarities and common goals, while
appreciating the strength in their diversity. We need to educate our young
people to become adults who cherish the values of respect for women and children
proclaimed in the National Men's March today.

In short we need a system, as envisaged by Curriculum 2005, that is geared to
the realities of our country and the ideals of our people.

Chairperson,

All efforts to improve our people's access to education are noble. Today we
honour a few of the most outstanding examples. We give deserved recognition to
men and women who have made not only their communities, but the whole nation,
proud; patriots whose selfless sacrifices have impacted positively on the lives
of many; unsung heroes and heroines who sought neither glory nor
recognition.

We present these awards as a pledge of permanent partnership. In honouring
you tonight, we join thousands of workers who can now read and write thanks to
your efforts; children who now have access to early childhood education
facilities; and those whose special educational needs have been satisfied.

It is our fervent hope that these awards, and your educational projects, will
inspire many more South Africans to contribute to this critical aspect of
nation-building.

Let us join hands, as government, business, NGO's and communities.

let us work together to educate our nation!

I thank you.

Issued by: Office of the President