According to the South African constitution, all South Africans have the right to a basic education. The law also states that no child can be excluded from a school on grounds of his/her race or religion. Research has shown that the country has one of the highest rates of public financial investment in education in the world.
In fact, 7% of the gross domestic product (GDP) goes to education, which means that 20% of total expenditure of the country goes toward education.
In 2009, the government made changes to the education portfolio in the country by creating two departments.
The department of Basic Education concentrates on primary and secondary education and learning. This also included early childhood development.
The Higher Education and Training department oversees tertiary education and learning, to doctorate level, technical and business training.
Research has shown that with quality education, individuals are better equipped to compete in today’s tough work environment.
The importance of education in South Africa is highlighted by the fact that the country has literacy rates of only 86.4%. As a developing country, South Africa needs to invest more in transforming the legacy of apartheid on the education system.
A common factor that comes up quite often in the country is a lack of access to education. This may be a result of a range of factors, such as socio-economic factors and rampant poverty. A lack of access to basic and advanced education is a significant factor in the prevalent problem that is poverty. Statistics show that 21.75 of the population live in extreme poverty.
The importance of education in South Africa means that individuals are able to get security and an income to be able to provide for their families. By earning enough to support your family, you are able to change your circumstances for the better.