As South Africa commemorates Freedom Day, Cornerstone Institute is calling on the nation to broaden its interpretation of freedom beyond political rights to include economic freedom through access to quality higher education.
For Cornerstone Institute, Freedom Day is not only a reminder of the country’s democratic breakthrough, but also a call to action to address persistent inequalities through access to education, skills and dignified work opportunities.
Thirty years into democracy, we’re seeing a generation that is politically free but economically constrained, and higher education sits right at the centre of that tension. We need to ask ourselves whether we are really part of the solution or equally part of the problem”, said Basier Dramat, CEO of Cornerstone Institute.
South Africa’s youth continue to face high levels of unemployment, underemployment and financial exclusion from higher education. Tackling these challenges requires an integrated approach that combines:
- Accessible, flexible higher education programmes that meet the realities of working and studying in South Africa.
- Partnerships with employers and funders to align academic programmes with labour market needs and to expand student funding pathways.
- Holistic student support, including academic, psychosocial and career guidance, to improve progression and graduation rates.
“We talk about Freedom Day in terms of democracy, but for many families, true freedom will only come when education translates into sustainable work, income and intergenerational change,” Dramat added.
Cornerstone Institute is currently running its Give Back 100 Campaign, through which it is offering bursaries to 100 eligible candidates for the Higher Certificate in Business Studies and the BCom in Business in the Business Studies Department. The bursaries are being offered to employees at partner organisations as well as individual recipients across South Africa.
Through this campaign, the organization aims to make a contribution to addressing these persistent challenges around skills and access to opportunity. It also aims to deepen collaboration with corporate, civil society and public sector partners to expand opportunities for students and respond to South Africa’s evolving skills needs.
“Freedom Day is an invitation to ask: who is still locked out of opportunity, and what are we doing about it?” Dramat said. “Through our partnerships and student support, we are working to ensure that more South Africans can claim not only their political rights, but their right to learn, to work, and to prosper.”
Freedom is not static; it must be expanded and defended. The Give Back 100 Campaign represents the belief that every additional student who completes a qualification and moves into meaningful work represents a concrete extension of freedom in South Africa.
