In a speech at the 2004 World Economic Forum, Bill Gates was quoted as saying ‘Two years from now, spam will be solved’. Today, spam accounts for over 70% of all emails sent. (bit.ly/xDkwnP, bit.ly/yJAgD2)

This week’s theme: Eighty20 forecasts

Facebook will have one billion active users by August 2012. (bit.ly/xvpgaS)

This week’s theme: Eighty20 forecasts

According to the National Development Plan 2011, the unemployment rate needs to fall from 27% in 2011 to 14% by 2020 and to 6% by 2030. This requires an additional 11 million jobs.

This week’s theme: Eighty20 forecasts

Treasury expects the number of grant recipients to increase to 16.7 million by 2013/14, up from 14.9 million in 2010/11. In both years, roughly two thirds will be in the form of child support grants. (SANT)

This week’s theme: Eighty20 forecasts

According to the National Development Plan 2011, the proportion of people with access to electricity must rise from 70% in 2010 to 95% by 2030.

This week’s theme: Eighty20 forecasts

According to the 2010 MRC Youth Risk Behaviour Survey, 65.4% of learners in South Africa reported being taught about HIV/AIDS at school. The province with the highest percentage was the Western Cape (81.9%) while Limpopo was the lowest (49.5%). (Education for All, South Africa Country Report, 2010)

This week’s theme: Back to school

There are 14.3 million learners in the country attending school (grades 0-12). 15% have experienced violence, corporal punishment or verbal abuse at school. (GHS 2010)

This week’s theme: Back to school

Globally, at least 2 million additional teachers are needed in order to achieve Universal Primary Education by 2015. 55% of these (1.115 million) are needed in sub-Saharan Africa. (UNESCO, 2011)

This week’s theme: Back to school

According to an international comparative study, the level of repetition in primary schools in South Africa is high (7%) compared to the average level of repetition in primary schools in developing countries (5%) and developed countries (less than 1%). (Department of Basic Education 2011, http://bit.ly/xk3Zto)

This week’s theme: Back to school

Four out of five South African adults think that to be successful, you need to be well educated. (AMPS2011)

This week’s theme: Back to school