Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, has told a gathering of the Speakers of African Parliaments that the education of African children in the 21st Century is dependent on the ending of wars and instability on the continent.
Didiza was speaking at the Conference of Speakers of African National and Regional Parliaments held at the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand.
Leaning on the session's theme, "Educate an African fit for the 21st Century. Building resilient education system for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa", Didiza acknowledged the importance of education.
"While the African continent is relatively peaceful, there are still pockets of instabilities, terrorism and threats to peace in various parts of the continent.
"Therefore, our success in educating the Africans fit for the 21st Century is also dependent on our success in silencing guns in order to ensure peace and stability, for there can be no proper education in volatile and war environments.
"The same obligation applies to development and economic prosperity, for there can be no development and prosperity without peace and education," she said.
Furthermore, Didiza said the need for investment in education is "unquestionable".
"The weaker economic and financial standing of our societies should not be the yardstick that determines whether their children should have access to quality education or not.
"This presents us with an opportunity and positive challenge to rethink our budgeting processes and to allocate more funds to departments of education in our respective nations," she said.
Peace in Africa and the world
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Didiza told her counterparts on the continent that South Africa's recent democratically held general elections and the consequences of that process bear testimony to how the country has embraced democratic processes.
"We hope our sister countries will also learn and embrace democratic processes should they face similar situations in future. Democracy remains the viable system of governance that can help us valorise our natural resources and build the resilience we need for prosperous economies in the continent.
"Embracing democratic processes is a golden route to peace, stability and prosperity," she said.
Turning to events in the Middle East, Didiza reiterated government's stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
"[The] attainment of democracy in South Africa against the barbaric apartheid system is a living proof that no challenge can withstand the will and might of the united global community.
"As the product of international solidarity, we call upon the nations of the world, the African Union Member States in particular, to support the call and the birth right of the people of Palestine and all the oppressed people in the world for self-determination and freedom.
"Our founding father, President [Nelson] Mandela left us with a message that South Africa will never be free until the people of Palestine are free," Didiza insisted.
