Minister of basic education Angie Motshekga's criticism by radio talk show hosts and listeners on her view about rape and educated men is misplaced.

The general public does not understand the concept of education and therefore of an educated man. An educated person, in an African context, is a person who has completed a degree qualification at a university.

In terms of the Philosophy of Education, however, education comprises formal and informal education. Succinctly put, an educated person lives according to norms, values and culture of his/her society.

This part is called informal education and is learned outside the classroom. It is learned from parents, relatives and other elders.

A man who holds a degree qualification and rapes a woman is definitely not educated in terms of the definitive description of education.

In fact, education has failed in a man because it did not have a positive influence on him. A classic case would be a medical doctor who is also a drunkard at the same time.

The minister was correct in her assertion, unfortunately she was addressing immature children who don’t know the meaning of education.

Jeffrey Mothuloe, Montana Park, Pretoria