ANC wants education to be declared an "essential service"

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The ANC and the government will make sure education is declared an essential service.

That's the word from ANC following a weekend lekgotla of the party's national executive committee.

State employees in essential services are not allowed to go on strike.

Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, who chairs the ANC sub-committee on education, said the country needed to reach consensus on education.

She says a regulatory framework would need to be devised.

"On the issue of education and health, the Lekgotla re-affirmed education as our number one priority. As number one priority, the ANC and its government will leave no stone unturned in making education an essential service," an ANC statement said.