South Africa: Lehohla says basic education must be fixed to avoid crisis

Statistician General Pali Lehohla says the country needs to fix basic education to avoid a bigger crisis.

Lehohla was testifying at the commission looking into the feasibility of free higher education in Centurion on Monday.

#FeesCommission Lehohla reveals that there are 9,8% unemployed Black graduates, 2,1% Whites, 0,95% Coloureds and 6,4% Indians.

— KhayelihleKhumalo (@KhayaJames) January 23, 2017

He said data showed that young people will remain poor, if there is no investment in their education. 

Lehohla has previously warned that free education is not possible.

#FeesCommission Lehohla says education only feature as priority number 15, we went through 1,5 million people.

— KhayelihleKhumalo (@KhayaJames) January 23, 2017

Students from households earning less than R600,000 annually will be exempt from fee increases this year.

But, some student bodies and activists are calling for free tertiary education.

The commission is expected to release a report in the next few months.

#FeesCommission Lehohla says tertiary level system is constipated, it is full and some people there have reached their sell by date.

— KhayelihleKhumalo (@KhayaJames) January 23, 2017