‘Education is the path to freedom’

Residents, young and old gathered at Tantyi Hall to celebrate Youth Day last Friday, with education the theme of the morning’s activities.

DA Councillor Khanyisa Daweti told listeners that education was not only about chapters and textbooks for small children, but it’s also life’s journey.

“For example, a child who grew up in squatter camps; do you think that child would reach matric?” Daweti asked. Citing statistics that put school dropout rates by Matric at 50%, the councillor said little has changed since 1976.

“Our current education system has failed us as the youth of South Africa,” she said “Like the youth of 1976, it is time for us to stand up and fight the system.” Daweti said she was not spoiling for a fight against the ANC, but rather the system, which “is locking away our freedom as South Africans, as young men and women South Africa, black and white.”

Daweti then made the bold claim that “We will be the generation that will bring freedom to South Africa. We will be the generation that will march and in 2019, Mmusi Maimane would be the first president of South Africa from the Democratic Alliance.”

The councillor said that while he grew up in a squatter camp, getting an education had given him a chance to escape that life. She also spoke of meeting a 97-year-old gogo who had lived for 23 years under democratic South Africa, with the promise of a house that has never been.

“There is one thing that makes me join the DA,” the gogo told the crowd. “I want freedom. I joined the DA because I want a house.”

Daweti also focused on the good work the DA is apparently doing in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.

“They stood up last year and said they want a change,” she said. “See how DA treats the people because we understand what freedom means.”

This thing is simple, you choose between corruption and freedom.

Councillor Rashied Adams, DA Provincial Youth Chairperson, also spoke about how precious education is.

“The brave young people of 1976 went out and fought that unjust system of apartheid and oppression. They put their life on the line to bring about change.”

It is with quality education one can work on the economy of the country, enable someone to earn future dignity and utilise their potential to the full, Adams said.

Adams said that no one in South Africa should be denied education as it is a constitutional right.

“In our democratic South Africa, a quality education is a dream. Particularly [in] this province,” Adams said.

“The secondary education pass rate is as low as 30%, which means you don’t have to know 70% of that subject.

“Our young people are set up for failure. You move to a tertiary institution and you can’t pass. If you don’t graduate, you find yourself in debt and on top of that you are unemployed.”