DA wishes the class of 2016 academic success
The Democratic Alliance has wished the matric class of 2016 the very best for their final exams which start on Monday.
Although a stressful time for many young South Africans completing their secondary schooling, it was also a time for reflection on the past 12 years and a time of excitement for what the future held, DA leader Mmusi Maimane said on Sunday.
“Quality education, at all levels, remains one of the most powerful tools for unlocking opportunities and removing the unjust chains of poverty and inequality. We therefore must ensure that government makes adequate funding available for the poor, and that all matriculants who qualify to further their studies but cannot afford to do so are supported in their pursuit to further their studies at the tertiary level,” he said.
“While we wish the class of 2016 well, we cannot shy away from the frightening prospect of many deserving learners not being accepted at universities due to the ongoing fees protest, which has the potential to create an ‘education backlog’.
“As the DA, we agree that the poor should not be excluded from higher education institutions; equally, those who are able to afford the right to education, should pay. We cannot accept a ‘free for all’ model of funding for higher education,” Maimane said.
The DA would ensure that the doors of learning were opened and that the poor were supported in their right to access quality education.