5th National Congress

Congress FAQs

These questions will be asked frequently, and useful information to know about going to Congress.

What is Equal Education’s (EE) national Congress? 

The national Congress serves as a key moment for EE. At Congress, the following processes take place:

• Amendments to EE’s constitution are debated and adopted.
• Resolutions on EE’s political and campaign priorities are adopted.
• Members get to learn about and debate issues in education and politics.
• Congress is also an important space in which to learn and unlearn (The process of learning and unlearning is to allow space for learning without judgment, the willingness to let go of lessons that are not necessary for us to grow consciously); and
• Congress is where our new leadership is democratically elected. This leadership includes the General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary and the other members of EE’s National Council (NC).

The Road to Congress

In preparation for Congress, EE holds a “road to Congress”, which aims to lay the foundation for a vibrant national Congress. As explained in more detail below, the road to Congress deepens our internal democracy; it provides space for the input of EE’s members on our internal processes; and it produces delegates who are democratically elected to attend Congress and are well prepared to participate in the national Congress.  

An important step on the road to Congress is provincial conferences held in all five of the provinces where we are organised. Here, EE members gather to engage on proposed constitutional amendments, draft resolutions arising from branch discussions and elect delegates to attend the national Congress.

Another important step in the lead-up to Congress is pre-Congress seminars. Pre-Congress seminars (PCS) are Congress delegate seminars that are geared towards preparing elected delegates for Congress. About one – two weeks before a national Congress, each organising province holds a pre-Congress seminar for the elected provincial delegates only, which is aimed at:

1. Final preparations for Congress delegates in each province. The content is focused on:
   1. The structure of EE’s governance and democracy, the role of the NC and its members.
   2. Discussion documents produced by the Commissions.
   3. Debating and refining proposed Constitutional amendments and resolutions emerging from branch meetings and provincial conferences.
2. The nomination process for delegates who want to stand for NC positions.

What is the current timeline for the Road to the 5th National Congress?

Jan – Feb Youth groups in preparation for the national Congress

May Provincial conferences

The provincial conferences are mass one-day meetings in provinces to elect their delegations to the national Congress.

June Pre-Congress seminars

The pre-Congress seminar is a meeting for the elected delegates to Congress to finalise the nominations for the new NC and the suggested resolutions of Congress.

 7 –  10 July                         The Equal Education 5th National Congress

What are Provincial conferences, & What happens here? 

Equal Education (EE) holds provincial conferences (1-day mass meetings) as part of the Road to Congress. These conferences bring together our robust membership of Equalisers, Post-school youth, Facilitators, and staff from across each province to reflect on the political context, evaluate the state of education, and shape the direction of EE’s campaigns.

Provincial conferences serve as platforms for intergenerational learning and movement-building. Here, members engage critically with issues affecting their schools and communities, exchange experiences, and build solidarity with youth from different regions.

At Provincial Conferences, three main processes take place: 

Proposed constitutional amendments.

Draft resolutions arising from branch discussions in that province. 

Election of members to the Congress 

Where will the 5th National Congress be held?

The 5th National Congress will be held in Gauteng province at Konka in Rustenburg. 

Who goes to Congress?

The number of delegates from each province will be determined by the results of the 2025 membership audit.

At the provincial conferences, provinces will elect their delegations to Congress. This should include those intending to run for election at the national Congress.

Some key national staff and external observers will also be present at Congress.

What happens at Congress?

Congress includes these major processes:

• Reports by the current leadership

The Chairperson (head of the NC) reports on the way that the NC has led the movement and the important decisions they have made. The General Secretary or Deputy General Secretary (heads of EE’s daily work) gives a report on EE’s offices, campaigns, and progress that has been made. The Treasurer (in charge of making sure EE’s money is used properly) reports on how EE has spent its money and what has been done to make sure that EE has enough money to keep running in the future.

• The Charter for an Equal Education will be launched at the 4th National Congress.
• Commissions

Sessions at the national Congress will cover commission topics determined before Congress.

• Resolutions

Resolutions will be passed which will determine EE’s focus of work for the next term.

• Constitutional amendments

Should any amendments to  EE’s Constitution be required, these will be finalised and ratified at the national Congress.

• Elections for the new National Council 

Nominated candidates will come to Congress and have an opportunity to speak in support of their election. The delegates at the national Congress will vote for the new NC, and the successful candidates will be announced at the end of the Congress.

What are the National Council positions up for election at the national Congress?

There are 6 key NC positions which must be elected at Congress:

• NC Chairperson (non-EE staff member)
• Two Deputy Chairpersons

(One Deputy Chair should be a post-school youth member not older than 25, and the other a school-going youth member not younger than turning 14 in the year of assuming office)

• General Secretary (full-time position)
• Deputy General Secretary (full-time position)
• Treasurer

The additional members of the new (incoming) National Council can be elected at Congress or through other processes. These are:

• One representative from each designated province
• A maximum of two parent-members
• A maximum of five Equalisers 
• A maximum of five post-school youth
• A maximum of five additional co-opted members

In total, the NC must consist of at least eight members, but no more than 28.

What are Commissions?

• The NC of EE instructs that focus groups of EE members, elected at the branch level, form special committees. The committee’s role is to investigate, discuss and recommend a discussion document featuring specific issues to be discussed at EE’s provincial conferences and that will be used as a guide when discussing our new Congress resolutions. 
• The members required per committee are: Two NC members (one to be chair of the committee), two Equalisers/Leadership Committee members, one Facilitator, one parent and one ex-officio member (EE researcher)
• There must be seven members per Commission committee. 

What are commission topics? 

• International Solidarity

[Local & Global Solidarity] Earthseed, rethink  EE to develop an agenda for transnational education justice agenda  [Palestine, International countries]

• School Services

[Justice for Cwecwe/Involvement of police, CPF, Basic Services to school, Water (water conservation), electricity, nutrition 

• Access to Quality Education 

Overcrowding, infrastructure, reading, curriculum, School Nutrition, Privatisation of Education. 

• EE Politics 

Evaluation of Strategy and tactics of campaigns [Intersectionality, Climate Justice,  LGBTQI+, Anti-imperialism, Education Charter] [EE and our Vote (YouthPowerBeyondTheBallot – Prepare the movements education agenda and young people for the Local Government Elections) 

• Waithood of Youth 

Funding issues, unemployment, access to higher education, substance abuse, and Mental Health

• Budget Justice and Accountability

Budget cuts, VAT increase, GNU failing us, Internal conflict, anti-corruption

• Movement Building [Internal Democracy]

The role and responsibility of  NC, PEC, PLOS, Sustaining and building self-reliant movements are members contributing to the movement, and the role of LCs in maintaining the movement. [Internal capacity – Organising Model] [How to bridge the gap for equalisers to take ownership of where they at – active equalisers]

• Reading revolution

Reading inside Equal Education as a way to make political education accessible, and more about the Equaliser.