During the State of The Nation Debate on Monday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga gave a speech on government’s handling on all things education. The speech included various things but it was her comments on the “three Rs of education” that quickly gained national attention.

It all started with this video gaining big traction on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/opkikkersafrikaans/videos/571230463239804/

The joke’s on who?

Within hours, the video was being shared rapidly accross various platforms as thousands of comments ripped into the minister and labelled her “stupid” as well as many other derogatory terms.

People obviously continued to point out that reading, writing and arithmitic do not all start with the letter r.

The videos kept rolling in too.

The teachers of the country (and anyone with a bit of common sense) quickly rushed to the comments to shut down the jokes on the minister’s behalf. The “three Rs” are not just correct, they are a globally recognised foundation of teaching.

“The three Rs (as in the letter R) refers to the foundations of a basic skills-oriented education program in schools: reading, writing and arithmetic. It appeared in print as a space-filler in “The Lady’s Magazine” for 1818, although it is widely quoted as arising from a phrase coined in a speech given by Sir William Curtis, Member of Parliament, in about 1795.” – Wikipedia

The comments calling out the “ignorant” jokesters kept rolling in.

“It is an actual saying. Wonder about your own education if you have never heard it” “So funny how people are so quick to judge others. I was taught that in my 1st year at Varsity. She is correct.” “Yip. Joke is on the people who is laughing at her. The 3 R’s has been use in literacy since 1795.”

The KFM employees ended up apologising to the minister’s spokesperson and taking down their original video.

The motto, here folks? Don’t be so quick to judge, you never know when you might be the one in the wrong.