The progress in transforming our education system has been stifled for too long at the expense of our children. It is time to press incoming leaders to eradicate pit latrines and provide safe and dignified school infrastructure to children in South Africa.

Our voting ink is fading from our thumbs, and we are slowly sobering up from the euphoria of the elections. We have been compelled to think about what is next for our nation.

As a young person and advocate for human rights, I cannot help but wonder if we have done enough to protect the interests of those who were not allowed to vote during this election period. These are individuals who looked to us to elect the right leaders for our nation.

I find myself thinking about the future of this country and the young leaders who could come out of our public education system. At the advent of our democracy, one of the State's mandates was to rectify the disparities caused by the discriminatory policies of the apartheid government. The State's interventions were particularly meant to radically transform public education.

Although some remedial work has been done over the past 30 years, it has not been enough. There are still too many barriers that prevent poor black children in rural and township areas from accessing basic education in South Africa.

It has been just over 10 years since the current government issued the Regulations relating to Minimum...