The DBE will be hosting its annual commemorative engagements between 1 and 30 April 2025, to mark Freedom Month, and Freedom Day on 27 April, in particular. During Freedom Month, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), together with the DBE and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), will again be promoting electoral democracy literacy to young South Africans in public schools. April is therefore also dubbed as Schools Democracy Month.

MECs across all nine provinces, along with the Provincial Electoral Commissions, will be co-leading the commemorative engagements for Freedom Month and the Schools Democracy Education Programme in various school community locations.

DBE’s Director for Social Cohesion and Equity in Education, Mr Likho Bottoman, explained that, “the long-term objective is to entrench active participation as a fundamental civic responsibility, and to institutionalise and infuse electoral democracy content into the formal school curriculum at all levels. As SA, we value our hard-earned democracy; however, as a sector we are also concerned about the way in which people are accessing the provisions of that democracy, particularly for children. The DBE’s mission is therefore to constantly bring to the foreground constitutional rights issues, democracy rights issues, civic rights and civic responsibilities.”

According to Moagisi Sibanda, General Manager: Civic and Democracy Education, Research and Knowledge Management (CDERKM) at the IEC, Civic Education is meant to empower young people with critical information to transform their communities for the better. There has to be a collaborative effort between Government and civil society to maximise the participation of young people in electoral processes, which is one of the most critical mechanisms used to sustain democracy. Young people are future leaders and their voices should be considered in various spheres of Government. Schools Democracy remains a critical tool to strengthen democracy in communities.

An IEC voting demonstration will be performed to guide young voters on the process.