The ANC on Friday recommitted itself to free basic education and universal access to quality health care.
Speaking in Johannesburg at the launch of the ANC's education and health campaign, ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said these two areas were critical for the overall success of the economy.
"The objective of six percent plus economic growth and halving unemployment and poverty by 2014 will remain a dream unless we get our education and public health right," he said.
Many if not all the world's successful economies had consciously invested in both education and health as a prerequisite for their growth and success.
Other interventions, like the aggressive implementation of industrial policies, were underpinned by the availability of skills.
National literacy and numeracy levels determined the success of any skills development programme, he said.
"Our education system must talk to the skills needs of the economy.
"Mathematics, science, ICT and language competency are critical for us to develop South Africa into one the fastest growing economies in the world.
"This campaign is about global competitiveness of our economy. It is not just about the mobilisation of ANC activists, but also the mobilisation of intellectual capacity for policy formulation and implementation.
"Those intellectuals who felt isolated over the years must be given space to make their contribution," Mantashe said.
The commitment that children would access education "irrespective of the economic status of the family" was non-negotiable.
"Through education we will break the chain of poverty in the individual households," he said.
"We are committing ourselves that educators will be in school on time, use the time in school productively for the benefit of the learner and not leave earlier than expected.
"We are committing ourselves to ensuring that the learners will be in school on time, without any weapon or drugs and subject themselves to the discipline of the school.
"The parents will participate actively in the learning process of a child and ensure that the schools in their communities are safe for learning and are not vandalised.
"This is the pledge we are making today in public and will live it every day in our communities," Mantashe said.
The campaign was also about universal access to quality health care.
"The nation must have the right to access health facilities of acceptable standards," he said.
In a campaign conducted by the SA Communist Party in 2007 it was concluded that many hospitals had deteriorated. There was a chronic shortage of health professionals, impacting directly on the quality of care.
Many clinics, particularly in the rural areas, were short of the necessary medication, even where new clinics were built.
The debate about the National Health Insurance Scheme had been raging for years without any conclusion being arrived at.
"This campaign must help us conclude this debate and implement the scheme within a reasonable time," Mantashe said.
Speaking in Johannesburg at the launch of the ANC's education and health campaign, ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said these two areas were critical for the overall success of the economy.
"The objective of six percent plus economic growth and halving unemployment and poverty by 2014 will remain a dream unless we get our education and public health right," he said.
Many if not all the world's successful economies had consciously invested in both education and health as a prerequisite for their growth and success.
Other interventions, like the aggressive implementation of industrial policies, were underpinned by the availability of skills.
National literacy and numeracy levels determined the success of any skills development programme, he said.
"Our education system must talk to the skills needs of the economy.
"Mathematics, science, ICT and language competency are critical for us to develop South Africa into one the fastest growing economies in the world.
"This campaign is about global competitiveness of our economy. It is not just about the mobilisation of ANC activists, but also the mobilisation of intellectual capacity for policy formulation and implementation.
"Those intellectuals who felt isolated over the years must be given space to make their contribution," Mantashe said.
The commitment that children would access education "irrespective of the economic status of the family" was non-negotiable.
"Through education we will break the chain of poverty in the individual households," he said.
"We are committing ourselves that educators will be in school on time, use the time in school productively for the benefit of the learner and not leave earlier than expected.
"We are committing ourselves to ensuring that the learners will be in school on time, without any weapon or drugs and subject themselves to the discipline of the school.
"The parents will participate actively in the learning process of a child and ensure that the schools in their communities are safe for learning and are not vandalised.
"This is the pledge we are making today in public and will live it every day in our communities," Mantashe said.
The campaign was also about universal access to quality health care.
"The nation must have the right to access health facilities of acceptable standards," he said.
In a campaign conducted by the SA Communist Party in 2007 it was concluded that many hospitals had deteriorated. There was a chronic shortage of health professionals, impacting directly on the quality of care.
Many clinics, particularly in the rural areas, were short of the necessary medication, even where new clinics were built.
The debate about the National Health Insurance Scheme had been raging for years without any conclusion being arrived at.
"This campaign must help us conclude this debate and implement the scheme within a reasonable time," Mantashe said.
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