Education is the key to sorting out South Africa's problems, President Jacob Zuma said on Sunday.

His government "meant business" when it came to promoting education, he said during an interview on SABC television.

"If we are to address all the ills that face our country, education is the key. Because if you have not educated your population, it means [they are] not empowered to participate in the economic activities, or in any other activity.

"And therefore it is important to educate the population. It's therefore important to invest in education. It's critical," he said.

Any nation that wanted to develop had to educate its people, and provide them with skills. Zuma said his government's focus on this was not just a matter of saying education was necessary to move forward.

"We've split the ministries so that there is specific focus given on both, but critical at the basic education, because that's where the formative years are. That's where you shape a human being."

Zuma said he was set to engage "every sector" involved in education, including school principals, teachers and pupils.

"So I'm already organising a meeting to begin to discuss with the principals, because in the first instance if you are put as a manager you've got to manage appropriately and therefore a principal must do his or her work, all of us must understand that in fact we mean business," he said.