By Johnathan Paoli
A “strategic reorientation” of South Africa’s schooling system that places quality foundational learning and teacher development at its core is critical, according to Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube.
Speaking at the G20 Basic Education National Indaba in Cape Town on Monday, Gwarube said the sector had a responsibility to tackle entrenched inequalities and prepare learners for a rapidly changing world.
“Early childhood care and education is not an optional extra. It is the foundation on which everything else rests. We are building an education system for all the Lindiwes and Siphos of our country. Regardless of where they come from, they must both get access to quality education,” Gwarube declared.
The two-day indaba held under the theme “Taking the G20 to the People – Advancing Quality Foundational Learning through ECCE and Education Professional Development”, brought together ministers, MECs, education unions, learners, civil society and international partners.
It consolidated months of provincial dialogues and will shape South Africa’s contribution to the G20 Education Working Group meeting in October.
Gwarube used her keynote address to highlight the human cost of unequal access to early childhood education. She again told the contrasting stories of two ten-year-olds: one thriving thanks to early exposure to structured learning, the other struggling because he only encountered books in Grade 1.
“These stories are a reminder that if we want to transform the future, we must start at the very beginning with the foundations of learning,” she said.
The minister also addressed the fiscal pressures facing provincial education departments, announcing financial recovery plans to address “ghost teachers” and “ghost learners” draining resources.
She said the newly established National Education and Training Council would advise on resourcing models, reducing teacher admin and strengthening support for schools offering foundation phase learning.
“This is not an end point. It is a convergence, a moment to listen, reflect and move forward with clarity and determination,” Gwarube told delegates.
Western Cape education MEC David Maynier welcomed delegates with a balance of pride and caution.
While noting that the province leads in maths and science and is building schools faster than others, he admitted there was severe pressure regarding school admissions and fiscal constraints.
“Education is an economic imperative. If we don’t get education right, we will not get South Africa right. That’s why we must look outward, learning from countries like Brazil, Japan, and Finland, and scaling what works,” Maynier said.
Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule outlined South Africa’s three G20 education priorities: foundational learning with a focus on early childhood care, professional development of teachers and mutual recognition of qualifications.
She stressed that South Africa’s leadership on the global stage must be grounded in its communities.
National Education Collaboration Trust CEO Godwin Khosa pushed for holistic support, including learner wellness, teacher development and technology integration.
“The resounding message from across nine provinces is clear: to optimise learning, we must focus on comprehensive support and innovation,” he said.
Chief Director at Foundations for Learning, Kulula Manona, emphasised the need for a strong early childhood care and education (ECCE) ecosystem that involved families.
“Parents are the first teachers of children,” he said, stressing South Africa’s four-pronged strategy of expanding access, improving quality, ensuring resourcing and professionalising the workforce.
SmartStart CEO Grace Mathlape cautioned that while the sector had made progress, “blind spots” in infrastructure, nutrition and support for early learning operators still undermined access.
“Even when we talk about new access, we don’t have a system in place right now,” she warned.
SmartStart currently runs 15,000 programmes reaching 170,000 children weekly.
From an infrastructure standpoint, Development Bank of Southern Africa Group Executive Chuene Ramphele pledged continued support, calling education “a strategic enabler and catalyst”.
He urged stronger collaboration within the government and with the private sector, warning that investor confidence depended on institutional efficiency.
Ramphele pressed for climate-linked financing tools to build resilience in schools.
In a notable departure from traditional summits, learners were invited to contribute directly.
Gwarube stressed that this was not symbolic, saying that too often young people were spoken to, but not listened to.
As South Africa steers the G20 Education Working Group, the minister reminded delegates that reforms must be rooted in both community realities and global lessons.
INSIDE EDUCATION
