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The EFF sends best wishes to all Grade 1 learners, who will start their 12-year basic education journey tomorrow, in different primary schools across the country. We impress upon the Minister and Department of Education, that preparing for Matric exams begins tomorrow with each child who will report for Grade 1. Care must be given to ensure quality education, not only 12 years later when the department cannot account for over 60% of them, as is the case each year during matric results.

The South African education system must correct the sin of child neglect it has committed over the years. Just in the last five years, of the learners who started Grade 1 over 12 years ago, the department only managed to pass an average of 35%. Over 60% have either failed, or dropped out, and no doubt, majority of these children are the black poor in townships and rural areas. No country must ever satisfy itself with such a track record, unable to ensure that majority of its youth, particularly the poor and marginalised, attains a National Senior Certificate. It is the greatest shame on the ANC government, that they could not improve this situation, thus keeping millions of black youth in a permanent state of under-education.

We call on all primary schools not to turn any child away tomorrow, because of the colour of their skin. We warn all Semi-private and private schools, that they must not use the technicalities of registration dates and tuition fees, to keep their schools white-dominated, so that they can safely continue the racist lie that white people, because of the colour of their skin, are privileged and superior.

All EFF branches will report to their nearest primary schools for the back to school campaign. We will be there to help teachers and parents, for a successful registration period and first day at school. Let there be no learner who goes to school without uniform, shoes or books. Let there be no teacher who cannot access facilities to teach our children, in particular textbooks. Let there be no child without scholar transport in rural and semi-rural areas.

May this and many more years to come be better schooling years than all others before.

Issued by The EFF