The census results released by Statistics SA this week is the most credible and useful tool to measure SA’s progress since democracy.
The statistics tell a story of population growth and relative improvement in areas such as education, the delivery of houses, basic services and technological advances by individuals and households.
Of course the numbers, credible as they are, are at times at odds with the nuances of our reality. The provision of electricity, for example, is an area where this is most pronounced.
While the government boasts electrifying millions of households since democracy, it is equally true that it has failed to deal with the perennial power crisis that has plagued Eskom, plunging SA into darkness.
Still, the data recorded in the census contains important markers to measure whether the ANC government has done what it set out to do when it assumed power.
Most notable to us was what the numbers told about the state of education in our country. A lot more adults have finished secondary education, compared to the period before 1996. This indicates welcome efforts to curb the number of children who drop out before finishing school.
Equally important is that more children attend early childhood development centres now than ever before.
This is a significant step towards strengthening our education system at foundational level. Of concern, however, is what the census tells us about the number of youngsters not attending school. About 5,2-million people aged between 5 to 24 years are not in school.
This number has been consistent since 1996, although marginally up by 200,000 more since the last census count in 2011.
These are young people who ought to be in education facilities but are not and we must ask why?
If the reasons are structural and economic in nature - as they likely are - far more effective interventions must be made to open up access to schooling and skills development.
Failing to do so is not only robbing young people the opportunity to realise their own potential, it is reinforcing a generational cycle of poverty in our communities.
No nation can ever sufficiently develop when a substantial number of its youth are not equipped with education and skills to help them navigate this rapidly changing world.
SOWETAN | Break this generational curse
Image: ALET PRETORIUS/GALLO IMAGES
The census results released by Statistics SA this week is the most credible and useful tool to measure SA’s progress since democracy.
The statistics tell a story of population growth and relative improvement in areas such as education, the delivery of houses, basic services and technological advances by individuals and households.
Of course the numbers, credible as they are, are at times at odds with the nuances of our reality. The provision of electricity, for example, is an area where this is most pronounced.
While the government boasts electrifying millions of households since democracy, it is equally true that it has failed to deal with the perennial power crisis that has plagued Eskom, plunging SA into darkness.
Still, the data recorded in the census contains important markers to measure whether the ANC government has done what it set out to do when it assumed power.
Most notable to us was what the numbers told about the state of education in our country. A lot more adults have finished secondary education, compared to the period before 1996. This indicates welcome efforts to curb the number of children who drop out before finishing school.
Equally important is that more children attend early childhood development centres now than ever before.
This is a significant step towards strengthening our education system at foundational level. Of concern, however, is what the census tells us about the number of youngsters not attending school. About 5,2-million people aged between 5 to 24 years are not in school.
This number has been consistent since 1996, although marginally up by 200,000 more since the last census count in 2011.
These are young people who ought to be in education facilities but are not and we must ask why?
If the reasons are structural and economic in nature - as they likely are - far more effective interventions must be made to open up access to schooling and skills development.
Failing to do so is not only robbing young people the opportunity to realise their own potential, it is reinforcing a generational cycle of poverty in our communities.
No nation can ever sufficiently develop when a substantial number of its youth are not equipped with education and skills to help them navigate this rapidly changing world.
Mjolo is dribbling Mzansi – Census 2022
Millions of young people not attending school – census
There are 62million of us - five things you need to know from Census 2022
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