By Johnathan Paoli
The Basic Education Department has marked the country’s inaugural International Day of the Boy Child with a call to address the emotional, educational and societal challenges facing boys, who are increasingly being left behind.
In her keynote address, Minister Siviwe Gwarube emphasised the importance of creating safe, nurturing environments for boys.
“This is not a competition between boys and girls,” she said. “We are calling for a balance for every child, regardless of gender, to be supported and to thrive.”
The event held in Thaba Tshwane in Centurion under the theme “The Legends, The Youngins and The Boys”, was attended by learners, educators, government leaders, artists, sports icons and influential male role models for intergenerational conversations.
The department also introduced Koketso Leburu, a Grade 11 learner from Kgothalang Secondary School in Bekkersdal in Gauteng as the Junior Minister of Basic Education for the day.
Koketso shadowed Gwarube and symbolised the potential of boys when invested in with intention and support.
The programme featured inspiring performances by The Ridge School’s Westcliff Musical Band and learners from Ratshepo Secondary School.
The Junior Mayor of Johannesburg, Kamohelo Malikane, delivered the Constitution’s preamble, setting the tone for a day focused on nation-building through education.
Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule opened the event by stressing that “supporting boys does not diminish the achievements made in empowering girls, but instead enriches the entire education system”.
She highlighted the importance of recognising the unique vulnerabilities of boys and dismantling outdated gender norms that pressure boys to suppress emotion.
Gwarube backed her address with data from studies such as the South African Systemic Evaluation and SEACMEQ V, revealing that boys underperformed across key subjects and faced heightened exposure to violence and emotional suppression.
She cited a 20% point gap in Grade 3 reading literacy between boys and girls and lower health knowledge among boys in all surveyed areas.
“These statistics are not just numbers. They reflect a crisis of identity, of opportunity and of care. We must re-imagine what it means to raise boys in our society,” Gwarube said.
The department announced a set of future commitments, including intergenerational dialogues to foster understanding between generations and increased visibility of positive male role models in schools.
Additionally, there was a call for more effective research and data collection to better understand the boy child’s experiences, as well as the development of a national framework to support boys’ emotional, mental and social development.
Social Development Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks echoed the call for structural reforms, outlining his department’s efforts to support boys from early childhood through adolescence.
Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane called for the growth, support and nurturing of South Africa boys, emphasising education, safety and protection from bullying and gangsterism.
He said that no child must be left behind and called on the country to write a new story for boys, namely one of hope, dignity and growth.
The department said the event marked the beginning of a national conversation as well as a national commitment to uplift boys not at the expense of girls, but alongside them in order to build a stronger, more inclusive country for all.
INSIDE EDUCATION
