While the world is home to 1.2 billion young people, South Africa is home to 9 million 747 thousand young people. This generation, the world over, are said to be the most educated youth generation in history.
As there are regional differences, South Africa will do well to see where it is pitched or better still to embark on a plan that gels together all the skills, attitude and knowledge that young people need to facilitate change at a personal, political, social and economic level.
Young people undisputedly are our future and ideally situated to change the ‘fabric of society’ through their own self-improvement and determination. Children and adolescents aged 19 years and younger account for almost half of the South African population of 48.8 million.(1)
The transition to democracy has made schooling compulsory, which means large numbers of young people are now engaged in the process of education.(2) At secondary school level the gross enrolment rate is over 90% with 4.5 million enrolled learners.
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Alcohol use: Learners reported alcohol consumption was 50% for ever having drunk alcohol and 35% for having drunk alcohol in the past month, and 29% for having engaged in binge drinking in the past month.
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