Johnathan Paoli
Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga has expressed her optimism over the progress as well as future plans concerning development within basic education and said that transformation within languages of instruction as well as the increased development of infrastructure and digital accessibility remained the foundation of bringing change to Africa.
Motshekga was addressing the Basic Education Sector Lekgotla for the last time in the 6th Administration on Thursday in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni and thanked the ‘village’ of stakeholders for their cooperation and support in the projects and programmes established to improve basic education.
“Our Lekgotla is a testament to our efforts to construct a world in which every learner can thrive in a changing world,” Motshekga said.
In setting the scene for the conference, the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Reginah Mhaule, said this year’s theme is not just a statement of intent but a clarion call for action, reflection, and innovation across the entire spectrum of the sector.
“Having been in this sector for a while, one has a feeling that we’re really at the cusp of stabilising our fragile system. There are major issues that we need to advise the next administration on; critical programmes that need to continue if we are indeed to move forward,” Mhaule said
Motshekga said as the attendees embarked on this Lekgotla, she urged everyone to engage in the discussions with an open heart and a visionary mind, in order to sculpt a future for South African education rooted in equity, efficiency, quality, inclusivity and sustainability.
The Minister said that the conference was a fundamental gathering for the sector, with participants deliberating on mother tongue learning, early childhood development, the three streams model; and digitization and technology.
The head of African Union’s Education Division Sophia Ndemutila Ashipala discussed the building of resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality and relevant learning in the continent.
Ashipala discussed the outcomes of the AU’s theme, which included infrastructure development for STEM, a continental campaign on ending learning poverty, encouraging teaching profession reform, strengthening and accelerating capacity to teach African history at all levels, accelerating the implementation of TVET and higher education strategies, implement Digital solutions in Education, creating a healthy and conducive learning environment, and enhancing and protecting the rights of marginalised groups (especially girls education).
Director of the Environment Learning research centre Heila Lotz Sisitka discussed mainstreaming education for sustainable development (ESD) into the sector in relation towards the continent’s plan for 2030.
Sisitka said that the youth wanted system change, not climate change, and it remains important to mainstream ESD into the curriculum in order to facilitate change.
“Transformative learning for people and the planet is a necessity for our survival and that of generations to come,” she said.
The chairperson of the National Education Collaboration Trust council Sizwe Nxasana discussed education for economic reconstruction and recovery and outlined the approach, process and content needed.
DBE researcher Martin Gustafsson spoke about the positioning of reality based on data, and said South Africans should not fall for the rhetoric that the country’s education is the worst.
“Our trends in IRT show improvements over time. We are yielding results and expect to reach a country like Malaysia by 2035,” Gustafsson said.
A panel discussion on the 2030 Early Childhood Development Strategy, chaired by the Gauteng Education MEC, focusing on the social compact behind delivering the strategy and included the LEGO Foundation’s Kerry Kassen, Zanele Twala from the Standard Bank Tutuwa Foundation, Spencer Janari from the National Treasury and the chief director of the Foundations for Learning, Kulula Monana.
The three day event is expected to end on Saturday and will discuss diverse topics such as the digital transformation in education, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital learning, and how to utilize digital learning to contribute to teacher professional development thereby improving their own skills and that of their learners.
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