Children are still struggling to get a decent education three decades after the Soweto uprising, according to the South African Human Rights Commission.

The findings of a national study by the commission showed that the quality of education black and rural children received was hopelessly inferior compared with that received by pupils in more affluent urban areas. According to the report, "The research clearly shows that if you are black - particularly if you are rural and poor - schooling and education does not work for you".

In addition, the report said quality education was not taking place, education was unaffordable, transport costs were high, school uniforms were a financial burden for poor parents, pupils were hungry at schools, and the dropout rate and number of children infected with and affected by HIV and Aids were on the rise.

Equally worrying, according to the report, was the high incidence of crime and sexual abuse at schools, with the report adding that some teachers were spending too little time in classrooms or indulging in relations with colleagues and pupils. Jody Kollapen, the chairperson of the commission, said the report was based on hearings held in October.

"We thought it was important to release the report on the occasion of June 16 because in many respects the struggle 30 years ago had its genesis in the education system," he said.

Kollapen added that the report was not simply about education "since the constitution is committed to freeing the potential of each person as part of a democratic nation.

"The education department is central to this principle. Education is not a stand-alone right, but has many implications and is important from a budgetary point. Throughout South Africa, people across racial and cultural sectors have located education as a key issue in our country," Kollapen said.

He said the report had been submitted to the national department of education, parliament and various role-players involved in putting it together.

"As the commission, we may reconvene in 90 days to look at the response to the findings and recommendations and consider how to move forward."

On Tuesday Duncan Hindle, the director-general of education, accepted the report on behalf of the department, expressing appreciation to the commission for compiling it.

"We will study its findings and recommendations before responding," he said.

President Thabo Mbeki, in his weekly online newsletter on Friday, praised the youth of 1976 for their contribution to South African democracy.

"Our country, which today lives in conditions of freedom, must discharge its responsibility to ensure that the inspiring story of what our youth did, serves, for all time, as part of what constitutes our definition of ourselves as a nation.

"As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the historic Soweto uprising, our movement therefore pledges to our youth and all our people that nothing will divert us from the relentless pursuit of the goals of the national democratic revolution, as nothing diverted us from the struggle to defeat white minority rule," Mbeki said.

Smuts Ngonyama, the ANC spokesperson, said the youth of today needed to emulate the youth of 1976 in their desire for quality, appropriate and equal education in a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic South Africa.

"Young people of today need to draw on the fighting spirit of the 1976 generation in fighting against poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment. As a tribute to the youth of '76, South Africans must commit themselves to social and economic transformation of our country so that we realise our objective of bettering the lives of all our people, black and white," he said.

Tony Leon, the Democratic Alliance leader, said members of the "class of 2006" were at the forefront of anti-crime initiatives; they were educating their peers about HIV and Aids; they were starting businesses and participating in job-creation projects.

"But today's youth are ill-served by some of the leaders that purport to represent them. Take Fikile Mbalula, for example, who leads the ANC Youth League, despite being in his mid-30s. Instead of speaking about the concerns of South Africa's youth, Fikile Mbalula has become the chief imbongi for Jacob Zuma," he said.

Leon said the education crisis in the country was one of the most urgent challenges facing South African youth.

"Thirty years after marching against Bantu education, the vast majority of young South Africans are still stuck in an inferior education system that has actually become worse, not better, after 12 years of ANC rule," he said.

Naledi Pandor, the minister of education, told parliament last month government was committed to addressing the challenge of underdevelopment, poverty and equity in education.

"It is very important for us to be honest with those who have gone before us. So we must acknowledge that up to this point we have not yet dealt a blow of death to all the legacies of apartheid education. We do intend to deal decisively with the problem of thousands of poorly performing schools. These schools are located in the poorest sections of our society and sadly their inadequacies perpetuate the legacy of disadvantage," she said.