Abstract
There is a major emphasis on the education of the South African people to become responsible, participatory and reflective citizens that contribute to an emerging democracy. However, the government of SA is faced with many challenges that hinder the South African people from becoming an educated nation. This is based on the assumption that education plays a major role in improving the economic status of the nation. The education in South Africa is categorized into sectors, primary, secondary and tertiary which are interlinked through a fine thread that determines the success of individuals. Thus, in this manner education within the various categories can contribute to the building of a united, peaceful, and democratic country (Wilson, 2006). This paper sketches the challenges faced by a young democracy and the initiatives that have been implemented to improve the status of education in South Africa.