The failing education system of South Africa usually serves the white and wealthy while abandoning millions of youth and perpetuating the cycle of racial inequality in South Africa. Consider the following statistics :

• South African math and science education is ranked 143 of 144 countries worldwide

• “‘a white learner is six times more likely to get into university than a black learner… (and) 100 times less likely to live in poverty’” 

• there is a high rate of teacher absenteeism which may be costing students “months, if not years, of learning” 

• Teacher training is inadequate

• Although there are eleven official languages of South Africa, most teaching is in English, which puts rural and marginalized students at a disadvantage

• Real unemployment figure nearing 40% but massive shortage of skilled labor 

• The growth rate of South Africa's economy in 2012 was just 2.6 percent

Although less than half of South African students pass their high-school exit exam, the political will to address institutionalized economic and educational inequality is conspicuously absent because the political dominance of the ANC (African National Congress) has gone mostly unchallenged.