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Education is not only pivotal to economic
prosperity but it also plays a crucial role in enabllng South
Africans to improve the quality of their lives and contribute to a
peaceful, productive and democratic nation. These sentiments are
captured in the Vision Statement of the Department of Education,
which states: Our vision Is of a South Africa in which all our
people have access to lifelong education and trainlng opportunlties,
which will in turn contribute towards improving the quality of life
and bullding a peaceful, prosperous and democratic society.
According to the Bll of Rights contained in the Constitution of the
Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act 108 of 1996), everyone has the
rlght to a baslc education, inctuding adult basic education and
further education, which
the State, through reasonable measures, must
make progressively available and accessible. Education is one
of the most important longterm investments a country can make. There
has been a significant increase in the education budget allocation
under the postapartheid democratlc Government, from R31,8 billion in
1994 to R59,8 billion in 2002. At almost 6% of gross domestic
product, South Africa has one of the highest rates of govemment
investment in education in the world. Formal education in South
Africa is categorised according to three levels. The General
Education and Training (GET) band consists of the Reception Year (Grade
R) and learners up to Grade 9, as well as an equivalent adult basic
education and training [ABET) qualification. The Further Education
and Training (FET) band consists of all education and training from
the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels two to four (equivalent
to grades 10 — 12 in schools) and the National Technical
Certificate one to three In FET colleges. The Higher Educatlon [HE)
band consists of a range of degrees, dlplomas and certificates up to
and includlng post-doctoral degrees. These levels are integrated
wlthin the NQF provided for by the South African Quallflcatlons
Authority (SAQA) Act, 1995 [Act 58 of 1995). The South African
public education system accommodates more than 11,6 million school
learners, 407 401 university students, 202 730 technikon students,
and 125 000 technical college students. There are 26 789 primary and
secondary schools wlth 348 362 educators.
Universities, technikons and technical colleges are presently
undergoing rationalisation, which will reduce the overall number of
institutions through mergers.
To access details on Education Structures, Statutory Bodies,
Financing Education, Education Policy and many more aspects on
education please consult South Africa Yearbook 2002/2003 (chapter 8
on Education) website:
www.gcis.aov.za/documents/publications/yearbook
and/or Department of
Education:
http://www.doe.gov.za
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