The splitting of the education department makes sense but the problems in basic and higher education were immense, the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) said on Monday.

President Jacob Zuma on Sunday announced the split, removing Higher Education and Training from the traditional Education Ministry.

He placed former Gauteng education MEC Angie Motshekga at the helm of the Education Ministry and South African Communist Party general-secretary Blade Nzimande as the political head of Higher Education and Training.

"The former department was just too big, one department accounting for 40% of all public service employees.

"The separate Ministries will allow for greater focus on the very real challenges faced in both sectors," Sadtu said in a statement.

Nzimande faced "immense" problems, the union said, with a lack of access to higher education by the poor and working class and the slow pace of transformation in the sector.

"For those outside of Higher Education, there are some three-million unemployed in the age group 18 to 24. Offering hope and training opportunities to these youngsters is a priority," the statement read.

Motshekga faced an uphill battle too, facing the need to ensure that all South African children received good grounding and the critical need to develop a national strategy and plan for teacher training, development and support.

The teachers union pledged itself to working with the new administration.

Education specialist at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Graeme Bloch, also welcomed the splitting of the Ministry.

"The new directed focus on higher education, along with vocational and labour market issues relating to the Sector
Education and Training Authorities', Further Education and Training and other job-skills issues, can only benefit from being located in the new Ministry," he said.

"Nzimande has a long interest and involvement in education and we wish him well."

He added that Motshekga had a long involvement in education and "is not afraid to stare down anti-social behaviour that impacts on education.

"... she will have a wide reach and mobilisational (sic) ability, which is crucial where increased community involvement in education is needed," Bloch said.

He also wished outgoing education minister, Naledi Pandor well. She has been appointed the new Minister of Science and Technology, replacing Azanian People's Organisation president Mosibudi Mangena who did not receive a Ministerial post.