It takes a village to raise and educate a child. It is at the heart of what we are as Africans, it is how we come together to find solutions, to ensure our children receive the education they so desperately need to break the cycle of poverty.

Education is a village. That is why we at the Kagiso Trust want to ask each and every South African: what role do you play in ensuring the education of our children is not only transformational and life-enhancing, but a real and tangible step on a journey to creating citizens that make a difference in our country.

Each role feeds into the other. Without one, the other breaks down. The learner needs the teacher, who listens to the principal, who needs the parent, who relies on the gogo, who waits for the taxi driver, who wants the shop owner to stop the kids missing school. It needs the department of education to work with the development trust, to give government a helping hand, to open space for big business to invest and technology companies to create an environment for children to embrace 4IR.

Education is the responsibility of us all, whether we have children or not. Now, during the pandemic, it is more important than ever that we all play our part. Education takes place in the classroom, but it is bigger than a space. It is a journey and a duty for all of us. Our country and our children need us.