Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called for urgent and sustained investment in early childhood development (ECD), saying that South Africa and the region risk entrenching inequality before children enter formal schooling.

Gwarube was speaking at the Southern and East Africa Regional Childcare Conference in Johannesburg this week, convened by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the World Bank to discuss access to affordable, quality childcare and early learning across the region.

The conference comes as government moves to expand access to ECD services through centre registration, increased subsidies and partnerships with the private sector and philanthropic organisations.

The department said government had exceeded its target of registering 10,000 ECD centres by the end of 2025, with more than 13,300 centres registered through the Bana Pele drive.

It has also set aside R10 billion over three years to support ECD subsidies, including an increase in the subsidy from R17 to R24 per child per day.

Gwarube said investment in early learning was critical to improving education outcomes, advancing gender equality and supporting long-term economic growth.

The conference heard that inequalities in education often begin long before children enter Grade 1.

“She illustrated this through the contrasting experiences of two children, one who benefited from early learning and support, and another who did not, highlighting that disparities in opportunity, not ability, determine educational success,” the DBE said.

Gwarube pointed to research showing that many children are not developmentally on track by the time they reach school-going age, while poor nutrition and stunting continue to undermine children’s ability to learn and thrive.

“Learning does not begin in Grade 1. It begins in the earliest years of a child’s life,” Gwarube said.

“If we fail to act during this critical window, we entrench inequality before formal education even begins.”

She also highlighted government’s work with private-sector and philanthropic partners through a R496 million Early Childhood Care and Education Outcomes Fund, aimed at expanding access to quality childcare in underserved communities, including rural areas.

The fund is expected to support the creation of more than 115,000 new ECD spaces in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

Gwarube said childcare should be treated not only as a social priority, but also as an economic necessity, particularly because affordable and reliable childcare enables more women to enter and remain in the workforce.

The conference also focused on regional cooperation, with countries in Southern and East Africa expected to share best practice, improve quality standards and explore scalable models for childcare provision.

While Africa’s young population presents a major demographic opportunity, Gwarube warned that this potential would only be realised if governments and partners invest deliberately in children’s earliest years.

“The measure of our success must be the number of children who arrive at school ready to learn, to thrive, and to succeed,” she said.

She asked governments, development partners, civil society and the private sector to move beyond commitments and take practical steps to expand access to quality early learning and childcare.

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The assault case against six Milnerton High School learners who are not minors was postponed to March on Tuesday to allow prosecutors to finalise outstanding investigations, the National Prosecuting Authority said.

NPA Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the case against the six learners was postponed to March 11, while two other accused who are minors will be dealt with in the children’s court.

ALSO READ: Universities hold the key to early learning turnaround, Manamela tells Lekgotla

“The consultation with the victims and downloading of photographs are still outstanding. Their bail has been extended and their bail conditions remain the same,” Ntabazalila said.

The case against the minors had also been postponed, he said. One minor was expected back in court on February 6, and the other on March 11. “Both cases are postponed for further investigation,” he said.

None of the accused can be named, as per a court order.

Bail of R2000 was extended for all of the accused, who are currently being schooled online.

ALSO READ: Eleven school children killed in Vanderbijlpark crash

The case follows widespread public outrage after a video circulated on social media in October last year showing a 16-year-old Grade 10 pupil being struck with a belt, hosepipe and a stick or hockey stick while other pupils looked on and filmed the assault.

The Western Cape Education Department said at the time that the school had identified eight learners and that the School Governing Body approved their precautionary suspension pending formal disciplinary hearings.  

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South Africa’s failure to get children reading and counting in the early years amounts to a “national emergency” that threatens the country’s future, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube warned as the 2026 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla started on Tuesday in Gauteng.

The three-day gathering has brought together national and provincial education authorities, teacher unions, education bodies and development partners to reflect on system performance and set priorities for the year ahead. 

ALSO READ: Hybrid learning urged as public universities hit limits on first-year intake

Gwarube used her opening address to shift the spotlight away from end-of-school results and to what she said was the weakest point in the education system — early learning.

She said persistent literacy and numeracy failures in the foundation phase continue to shape poor learning outcomes, learner dropout, and limited access to science, mathematics and technical subjects later in the system.

“This is not merely an education challenge. It is a national emergency that demands urgent and decisive action,” Gwarube said.

At the start of her address, the minister also paid tribute to the 14 learners who died in a road accident in Gauteng on Monday, describing the loss of young lives so early in the school year as “incredibly heart-breaking” and saying it had “shaken me to the core”.

ALSO READ: Eleven school children killed in Vanderbijlpark crash

She that improved matric results, including the strong performance of the class of 2025, should not mask deep structural problems at the start of the schooling journey. 

“You don’t create a matric pass rate in matric,” she said, adding that learning outcomes are determined “far beyond when children get to matric”.

Gwarube called for a shift that fully embeds early learning from birth to age nine within the basic education system, with particular emphasis on Grade R to Grade 3 as the foundation for reading, numeracy and critical thinking.

“If we fail our children during this critical period, we fail them throughout the education journey,” she told delegates.

She also outlined plans to strengthen inclusive education, expand mother tongue-based bilingual learning, review teacher post-provisioning norms and improve school safety and learner wellbeing.

ALSO READ: Vanderbijlpark scholar crash death toll rises to 14, driver previously reprimanded for reckless driving

“Quality early learning is not optional. It is the cornerstone of lifelong achievement,” the minister said.

The Lekgotla is expected to conclude on Thursday, with discussions aimed at translating policy commitments into practical interventions to strengthen foundational learning and stabilise the education system.

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Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube said on Monday that many pupils are failing to reach reading-fluency levels needed to read with comprehension by Grade 4.

Gwarube made the comments while launching the Funda Uphumelele National Survey (FUNS).

She said the baseline will, for the first time, measure across all 11 official languages the share of Grade 1–3 learners meeting language-specific fluency targets.

The benchmarks cover letter-sound recognition at the end of Grade 1 and oral reading fluency at the end of Grades 2 and 3, developed “language by language” over about six years, she said.

Gwarube said the results confirm “serious challenges in the early grades” but provide a clearer diagnosis of underlying skills such as phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and letter-sound association that enable comprehension.

“We are not measuring for the sake of measuring,” she said. “The value of good data: it gives us the power to act intelligently, not blindly.”

The minister said the survey emphasises home-language instruction because children “learn to read most effectively in the language they understand best,” adding that strong foundations make it easier to build bilingual proficiency, typically with English as a First Additional Language.

The department is “rolling out Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education in Grades 4 and beyond,” she said.

According to Gwarube, the data will be used at three levels: to track progress nationally, provincially and by language; to strengthen accountability and support through district offices and school management using new, language-appropriate assessments; and in classrooms, where teachers will run diagnostic checks and target remediation.

She said the assessment instruments were developed by linguists and researchers from universities nationwide with department officials, and thanked philanthropic and multilateral partners that financed the work. “Today’s launch is not just the release of a report. It is a call to refocus our attention,” she said.

“We want all children to read with understanding by the end of Grade 3,” Gwarube said.

“When we conduct the next round of Funda Uphumelele, I am confident that we can see progress… in the daily experience of children who can now open a book and make sense of the world around them.”

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KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) education authorities have ordered an urgent investigation into allegations that teachers at Thubalethu Secondary School in Pinetown molested female pupils, in a case that has triggered national concern over rising reports of sexual abuse in South Africa’s schools.

Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka said he is “outraged” at the reports and ordered immediate action.

“Any acts of abuse or misconduct by educators fundamentally undermine the trust, care, and responsibility that define the teaching profession,” he said.

The department condemned the alleged conduct as “abhorrent behaviour”, adding: “The protection, safety, and well-being of learners remain our highest priority.” 

“Investigators will be deployed to the school to establish the facts, strengthen accountability and ensure those guilty, face the law and disciplinary processes. As the department, we will not sit idle while the integrity of our schools is compromised and the safety of our learners is threatened,” Hlomuka said.

He emphasised that schools should be “a centre of learning, care, and growth – not places of fear”. 

The department urged pupils, parents, teachers and community members to report abuse through official channels or directly to police.

“The department will not tolerate any violation of learners’ rights. Any educator who exploits their position of trust will be removed from the system and subjected to criminal prosecution without hesitation,” it said.

The allegations come against a backdrop of mounting national concern.

The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) said it received 114 cases of sexual misconduct in schools in the past year, with 39 teachers found guilty. ELRC spokesperson Bernice Loxton urged the government to act firmly.

Other recent cases include the suspension of a principal and three teachers at Tiyelelani Secondary School in Soshanguve in September 2025, and allegations in the Northern Cape where pupils at Bothithong High School were allegedly given stipends by teachers in exchange for unprotected sex. 

Equal Education and other groups also expressed outrage, saying the incidents reflect a wider pattern.

Sexual violence in schools has been described by UNICEF and advocacy groups as systemic. A seven-year-old girl’s alleged sexual abuse at Bergville College in the Eastern Cape earlier this year sparked nationwide protests.

Union voices echoed the call for accountability.

“We don’t support such behaviour. Let those allegations be investigated and the law should take its course. This act is an illegal, criminal act and unprofessional. We are a union representing teachers, we don’t condone such,” said South African Democratic Teachers Union spokesperson, Nomusa Cembi.

Data from the South African Council for Educators (SACE) showed 111 cases of sexual abuse referred in 2024/25, up from 82 the previous year. KwaZulu-Natal led with 25 cases, followed by Eastern Cape and Free State reporting 12 cases, respectively.

Childline CEO Dumisile Cele called for guilty teachers to be placed on the Child Protection Register.

“Teachers found guilty of such atrocities should have their names added to the Register within the Children’s Act,” said Cele. 

Education officials have said measures are in place to tackle the scourge.

Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier’s office reported seven sexual assault cases in 2024/25, down from 15 the year before, with six teachers dismissed and one suspended without pay.

National crime statistics reflect the wider challenge. SAPS recorded 80 rapes at educational institutions between January and March 2025, with 54 victims being learners. Overall, 13,452 sexual offences were reported nationally during the period.

KZN education spokesperson Mlungisi Mtshali said the province treats such cases with urgency.

“That’s why we must not make a mistake in this issue. When we charge the perpetrator, we must have all the information at hand. We can only suspend educators for three months while we investigate the matter,” he said.

He added that the department has a dedicated unit, including external investigators and social workers, to handle complaints.

“We are ensuring the school environment is enabling, supportive and offers a safe space for learners, educators and school staff,” Mtshali said.

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has called for urgent empowerment of social workers, health workers, and caregivers to report cases of statutory rape, as alarming new statistics reveal that tens of thousands of school-age girls in the province fell pregnant in 2024. 

DA Gauteng leader and official opposition leader Solly Msimanga said the figures underscored a growing crisis of child sexual abuse and statutory rape that is being ignored by authorities and too often normalised in communities. 

“Statutory rape is a serious violation, and men who commit such a crime inflict lasting harm on a vulnerable individual. The failure by law enforcement agencies to take action against men who commit this offense is deeply troubling, as it compromises the principles of consent and respect, leaving young girls vulnerable to predatory individuals who have lost all sense of morality,” Msimanga said. 

According to data disclosed by Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in the provincial legislature, 23,691 pregnancies were recorded among girls between the ages of 10 and 19, last year. 

Of these, 18,851 resulted in deliveries at public health facilities, while 4,840 were terminated. Disturbingly, 521 of these pregnancies involved girls between the ages of 10 and 14.

While pregnancies among learners are rising, police reports of child rape and statutory rape are falling.

Gauteng’s Clinical Forensic Medical Services and Thuthuzela Care Centres recorded 474 cases reported to the South African Police Service in 2022/23, 257 cases in 2023/24, and just 242 between April and December 2024. 

Msimanga said the discrepancy pointed to a breakdown in enforcement of Section 110 of the Children’s Act of 2005, which obliges teachers, healthcare workers, social workers, and caregivers to report suspicions or evidence of child sexual abuse. 

“The failure to act enables predators to continue abusing children, while families are sometimes bribed into silence. This not only protects perpetrators but entrenches a culture of impunity,” he said. 

The Gauteng Health Department’s statistics highlight that the problem cuts across the province. 

Johannesburg recorded 7,245 cases of teenage pregnancy, followed closely by Ekurhuleni with 6,893, and Tshwane with 5,752. The West Rand and Sedibeng recorded 2,014 and 1,787 respectively.

The DA has requested further data on which schools reported the highest numbers of learner pregnancies and how many girls who gave birth managed to return to school. 

However, Inside Education reached out to the Gauteng Education Department who admitted it does not keep such records. 

Msimanga cautioned that poverty and inequality fuel the problem, with transactional sex between older men and vulnerable girls increasingly common. 

In some cases, families accept money or goods in exchange for silence.

The DA is demanding that the provincial departments of Education, Health, Social Development, and Community Safety collaborate more effectively to equip and empower social workers, health professionals, and caregivers to report statutory rape to SAPS; ensure all reported cases are promptly investigated and prosecuted; provide education to girls that reinforces their right to refuse unwanted sexual advances, even from adults in positions of authority; and strengthen partnerships with parents and community leaders to create safe environments for children. 

Msimanga added that the DA will also push for answers on the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and HIV among the affected age group. 

The DA’s Gauteng intervention is part of a broader national probe into the child pregnancy crisis.

DA Social Development spokesperson Alexandra Abrahams recently revealed that in the Eastern Cape, 117 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 gave birth between April and July 2025, while 4,752 teenagers aged 15 to 19 delivered babies during the same period.

“These figures are only the tip of the iceberg. Pregnancies that end in termination or miscarriage, or those that go unreported, make the true scale far greater,” Abrahams said.

The DA cited the reported drugging and sexual assault of learners from Khomani Primary School in Diepkloof earlier this year as proof that some incidents occur beyond the direct oversight of teachers and parents. 

Msimanga said a DA-led administration would ensure that professionals are trained to enforce the Children’s Act, statutory rape cases are properly investigated and prosecuted, and schools are staffed only with vetted teachers and officials.

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The Gauteng Education Department has moved to put contingency measures in place for matriculants affected by ongoing water outages and protest disruptions in the communities of Westbury and Coronationville.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that while water tankers and JoJo tanks had been deployed to affected schools, the prolonged lack of supply has stretched the system to breaking point. 

“We have tanks, JoJo tanks, in our schools. When we have water, we then fill up those tanks. But if, on a continuous basis, there’s no water, we will then be depleted,” he said. 

The outages, which have sparked days of unrest, left teaching schedules in disarray and raised concerns about the impact on learners preparing for crucial final examinations.

Mabona said the department’s immediate focus was on protecting the academic progress of Grade 12 learners. 

“The only challenge in Coronationville is that we have those that are coming from outside those areas. Now the arrangement is that especially the Grade 12s, they are writing at the neighbouring schools. We’ve made those arrangements for them to continue to write,” he said.

Protests erupted earlier this week, with residents demanding urgent intervention to restore water services.

Several community members sustained rubber bullet injuries on Wednesday when demonstrations turned violent.

The unrest has prevented some learners from outside the affected communities from reaching their schools, further disrupting teaching and learning. 

“In that entire area, our schooling is not normal. The lower grades cannot access schools unless they live within walking distance. Grade 12s have been our main concern, and we’ve ensured their preparatory examinations continue without major interruptions,” Mabona stressed. 

Similar arrangements have been implemented in Ebony Park, where many learners are walking to schools. Principals are collecting examination papers from distribution points to ensure assessments go ahead. 

The water outages in Westbury and Coronationville have also cast a spotlight on broader service delivery and infrastructure issues affecting schools across the province. 

In The Vaal, learners at the newly opened Tsepong Secondary School have reportedly been attending classes for only three hours daily due to water and sanitation challenges.

Mabona acknowledged the difficulties but assured the public that the matter had been resolved. 

“Yes, indeed, we are aware. The challenge was with the municipality, because we made a payment in January already. But there were problems of locating the transaction. There’s now confirmation that the municipality has received the money, and workers are on site connecting the school to park services for water and electricity,” he said.

 Asked whether such problems pointed to systemic weaknesses in municipal payments and service connections, Mabona said schools generally receive allocations to pay for services directly. 

“In this instance, because it was a new establishment, the department had to apply for the connection. But in all other schools, we provide them with their allocation to pay municipal services. Where challenges arise, we engage municipalities directly and make interim arrangements,” he said.

While the department is working to mitigate the immediate impact of the outages on matriculants, concerns remain about the long-term disruption to teaching. 

Civil society groups have warned that if the crisis persists, it could compromise curriculum coverage, particularly for younger grades who are not part of examination contingency plans.

The department has urged calm and appealed for constructive dialogue between residents, municipalities, and education authorities.

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Thursday launched a national investigation into rising cases of statutory rape and child pregnancies, saying provincial governments must be held accountable for tackling the issue.

The move followed DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille’s attendance at a bail hearing in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate’s Court for a 53-year-old deputy principal accused of repeatedly raping an eight-year-old girl at his primary school.

The party announced in October last year that according to a response to a parliamentary question, Over 106 000 rape cases and 22,000 sexual assault cases involving children were reported over the last six financial years.

Zille said the campaign would examine whether provincial departments were meeting their obligations under the Children’s Act, which seeks to ensure that perpetrators of rape and statutory rape face prosecution.

Zille urged community members to report suspected abuse.

“The DA will not allow the rape of children to become normalised in South Africa,” she said. “We urge all people who suspect incidents of abuse to report the matter as they are required to do, to the relevant authorities.”

Zille said some community members had raised concerns that perpetrators often pay victims to remain silent. “We are aware that perpetrators often buy the silence of victims and their families to cover up their crimes. Those who succumb to such bribery and extortion are equally guilty of a crime,” she said.

The DA said it would push for psycho-social support for victims. “The DA will seek to ensure that the victims of such abuse get the psycho-social support which they need to heal to the greatest extent possible,” Zille added.

“The alleged perpetrator has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty,” she said, “but the fact that suspects in child rape cases make it into court is an important step in the accountability chain.”

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Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has urged a renewed national focus on early childhood development (ECD), warning that South Africa’s long-term educational success depends on the foundations laid in pre-school years.

Speaking at the launch of the 2024 Thrive by Five Index in Sandton on Monday, Gwarube said the findings provide both a sobering reality check and a roadmap for urgent action

“Literacy does not begin when a child learns to read in Grade 1. It begins in the preschool years, in the way a child holds a pencil, in the stories they hear, and in their earliest attempts at writing. If the beginning of the story is weak, the chapters that follow will always be harder to write,” she said.

The Thrive by Five Index, conducted by DataDrive2030 in partnership with the department, assessed more than 5 000 four-year-old children across 1 388 early learning programmes (ELPs) nationwide.

It is the largest survey of its kind on the continent and the first comprehensive post-COVID snapshot of pre-school development.

Gwarube stressed that the availability of high-quality data was crucial to shaping education policy.

“The 2021 Index confirmed the correlation between poverty and poor outcomes, and the 2024 Index reinforces this. That clarity has guided us to double our efforts in making the case for investing in the early years. The R10 billion for ECD support announced by the Minister of Finance [Enoch Godongwana] shows that we are on the right course,” she said.

One of the most striking findings was the stark inequality between high- and low-fee preschools.

Only 42% of enrolled children were found to be developmentally on track, with those in well-resourced centres twice as likely to thrive as those in underfunded programmes.

Fine motor coordination and visual motor integration emerged as the weakest domain, with just 29% of children on track, undermining the ability to transition into reading and writing in primary school.

The minister highlighted another critical challenge: the home environment.

Among enrolled children, only 11% of households had more than five children’s books, while 26% had none. For non-enrolled children, the figure rose to 77%.

To address the gap, the department has partnered with UNICEF and Book Dash to create Stories for Joy, a multilingual collection of storybooks that will be made freely available online.

Gwarube underlined that early childhood development is not only about education but also about health, nutrition, and safe communities.

She outlined four areas of government’s commitment.

In terms of finance and investment, she said it remained important to make subsidies predictable and remove barriers for the poorest children.

In order to facilitate empowering practitioners, the department is planning on investing in training and strengthening pedagogical practices.

Gwarube called for integrated services by partnering with health departments and supporting parents.

Lastly, she emphasised strengthening Grade R and ensuring it bridges gaps for those who start behind and builds on strengths for others.

“The Thrive by Five Index is not just a measure, it is a movement to ensure every child starts school ready to learn, to grow, and to thrive. By 2030, no child should be left behind because of where they were born or how much their parents earn,” she concluded.

DataDrive2030 Executive Director Sonja Glese presented the findings with a stark demonstration: attendees were asked to stand according to colour coded dots representing children on track, falling behind, or far behind.

Most stood in the “falling behind” categories.

Glese highlighted three key obstacles: nutrition, programme quality, and access.

While stunting among enrolled children stood at 7%, she warned that even mild malnutrition can set children back by months of learning.

She also revealed that only 27% of ELPs were rated good, while 30% were inadequate, with strong teaching strategies present in just 17%.

“ECD qualifications alone are not enough, we need to focus on what truly matters in the classroom: curiosity-driven, interactive teaching,” Glese said.

The plight of non-enrolled children was particularly alarming. Only 18% were on track, while more than half were far behind. Most lived in homes with no books and had never been read to.

Despite the challenges, Glese struck a note of optimism.

“We have evidence that poor outcomes for poor children are not inevitable. Some children in difficult circumstances do exceptionally well, showing us what is possible. If we make this a national priority, we can change their story,” she said.

The Thrive by Five Index is set to be repeated every three years until 2030, providing an evolving picture of South Africa’s progress.

Both Gwarube and Glese framed the Index as a rallying point for collective action across government, civil society, and families.

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Interventions aimed at improving teacher education and development in South Africa  – particularly concerning the teaching of languages and mathematics – are beginning to pay dividends.

This message emerged from an entity involved in teacher education at Universities South Africa’s Education Deans’ Forum (EDF) meeting on 15 August.

The Primary Teacher Education (PrimTEd) project began as an initiative of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). It is part of the Teaching and Learning Development Capacity Improvement Programme (TLDCIP) that covers areas of primary teacher education.

Since 2016, PrimTEd has assessed standards for measuring Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes for primary school teachers’ English and mathematics levels and abilities. It also tracked their development by testing both first-year and fourth-year students. It has now been expanded to measure student teachers’ knowledge in foundation phase literacy in IsiXhosa, Sepedi and English as a First Additional Language (EFAL).

The project also facilitates communities of practice (CoP) among lecturers from the 20 public and private universities involved in PrimTEd, to garner their support and inputs in the design and uptake of these assessments. Lecturers engage in research, standard setting, item writing, and collaborative dialogue based on research outputs produced by colleagues across all participating universities.

Professor Maureen Robinson who currently works for the educational consultancy, Kellelo, was previously a Dean of Education at Stellenbosch University for five years, and for 10 other years served the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in a similar capacity. She reported to the EDF on the progress that PrimTEd has made to date.

isiXhosa and Sepedi glossaries

She said PrimTed had developed isiXhosa and Sepedi glossaries to standardise the languages, and to enable quality assurance and testing. “Extensive piloting of the (updated) maths and English test and pre-piloting of isiXhosa and Sepedi has been done. If you are going to create a benchmark test across universities, you want to be very confident that the testing is valid and that the resulting information is useful. It’s been an intense and long process developing and checking these tests, which included Rasch analysis,” she said.

Professor Robinson dealt with the nuances between Home Language (HL) Knowledge and HL Practice: “It’s not just about what English, Sepedi, isiXhosa or maths content student teachers know; it’s also about what they know about the teaching of these subjects. This takes into consideration the pedagogy, the theory and practice of teaching that subject. That’s really what these tests are aimed at.”

She urged deans to encourage their maths and language staff to join the CoP meetings and administer PrimTEd testing at their universities.

Maths pilot testing

Her colleague, Dr Qetelo Moloi, a Quantitative Analysis Expert at Kelello, shared some of the findings of the PrimTEd maths pilot testing that has taken place.

He said that between 2016 and 2022 they used what they now refer to as PrimTEd 2.0, which has now been changed to PrimTEd 3.0.

“We have developed a standard that can be used across the institutions of higher learning, and this is not only about content. The process is now at the stage where we have piloted more than 500 items of maths with standards attached to them”

“We have tested more than 3000 first-year students and more than 1000 in year four. It is worth noting that there is good progress from first to fourth year – evidence that students improve their performance as they progress through their degree. We also have fewer students functioning at the basic level and more functioning at a higher level of competency– evidence that the interventions in place are bearing fruit.”

Key changes to ISPFTED

Mr Haroon Mahomed, Executive Manager: Teacher Education and Development (TED) Policy and Planning, updated the EDF members on the status of the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development (ISPFTED), currently being revised. He also updated them on the National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development (NPTED).

According to Mahomed, TED policy in South Africa is guided by ISPFTED. It aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools by enhancing teacher education and development opportunities. It focuses on improving access to quality education and development for both current and prospective teachers. 

The first TED summit took place in 2009, and ISPFTED was launched in 2011. The second TED summit, held at the end of 2021, developed resolutions in six key areas, namely,  teacher standards and professionalism, teacher recruitment and retention, teacher education, system deployment, career paths and accountability.

The 2011 ISPFTED framework, Mahomed said, laid the groundwork by outlining strategies for teacher development, recruitment and professionalisation. It has been undergoing revision since the 2021 TED Summit, and this 2025 framework builds upon this foundation, focusing on further improving teacher quality and ensuring a well-rounded education system for all learners. 

Key changes include:

• Context and content updating – Including the impact of Covid, rapid technological advances between 2011 and 2025 and inclusive education including mother-tongue based bilingual education.
• Governance and coordination – Proposal to strengthen governance through the establishment of a National Council for Teacher Education and Development (NCTED). 
• Alignment – Process to align the ISPFTED with the NPFTED, previously not aligned, resulting in many challenges with mandates.
• Adjustment of outputs and activities – Outputs increased from four to eight, and activities were adjusted, based on SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) principles for ease of planning and implementation; planning was streamlined, and goals were made more achievable.
• Budget – Current budget information was updated with an increase to around R2 billion and how these funds can be used more effectively and efficiently. A  70% skills levy can be used for TED.
• Collaboration: The roles of various role players including higher education institutions, Sector Education and Training Authorities, the South African Council for Educators, the Education Labour Relations Council and unions to be clarified.

Mahomed asked the EDF to provide feedback, adding that in-depth dedicated workshops could be arranged at universities in collaboration with the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA).

The updated ISPFTED policy document will be tabled at the Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) meeting later this year and later taken to the Council of Education Ministers (CEM).

“In terms of current projection, we could complete this work by the end of this year with HEDCOM and CEM to advise on the further rollout of this process in 2026.”

Changes to Grade R qualifications

Ms Nombulelo Sesi Nxesi, CEO of ETDP SETA, said there had been a change to Grade R teaching: “A decision has been taken that all Grade R teachers must have a Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Foundation Phase Teaching. We are no longer going to be funding a Grade R diploma for employment purposes.”

For the unqualified or underqualified Grade R teachers, transitional measures are currently being developed in consultation with the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and HEDCOM. This framework will ensure that teachers are appropriately qualified for the specific developmental and pedagogical needs of learners at this critical early stage of education. 

University of South Africa

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Civil rights organisation AfriForum has welcomed the Department of Basic Education’s decision to extend the deadline for public comments on the draft regulations of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (BELA).

The move has reignited calls from civil society organisations, unions, and advocacy groups for South Africans to help shape the future of schooling.

AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs, Alana Bailey, described the extension as “positive and necessary.”

“Both sets of regulations will have a significant impact on the nature of public schools and the provision of high-quality education. It is essential for as many institutions, organisations, and individuals as possible to submit comments,” she said.

Originally set to close on 5 September, the deadline has now been extended to 5 October, according to the Government Gazette.

The regulations, published in August, focus on school capacity and admissions and form part of implementing the BELA Act, which came into effect on 24 December 2024.

Bailey welcomed the extra time, saying it would allow the public to provide more thoughtful and detailed input. She also warned that vague or contradictory regulations could trigger costly legal battles.

“Legislation is often broad, and regulations must bring clarity on its application. If people feel the regulations are unclear, inconsistent, or out of touch with realities in schools, these concerns must be raised with the Minister and the Department. This is particularly important if they infringe on the rights of learners, teachers, or the Constitution itself,” she added.

AfriForum confirmed it is finalising its submission in consultation with its legal team.

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) has also weighed in, voicing “great concern” over the minister’s approach.

SADTU General Secretary Mugwena Maluleke argued that the regulations undermine both the letter and spirit of the Act, which followed more than a decade of consultations and parliamentary processes.

“Regulations cannot be used to change the text of the Act, impose requirements not provided for, or undermine its purpose and intent,” he said.

The union criticised the Minister for publishing regulations on only two areas instead of the eight originally envisaged, warning this piecemeal approach could create confusion. It further claimed that several provisions fall outside the Minister’s legal authority, encroaching on other ministries such as Home Affairs and Public Administration, and ignoring Constitutional Court rulings on learners’ rights.

Civil society group Free SA has also raised objections, warning that the regulations could weaken school governing bodies (SGBs) and marginalise parents in decision-making. A key concern is a clause that allows provincial officials to override SGB decisions on admissions, zoning, and language policy.

Free SA argues that this shift would erode accountability and weaken the democratic role of SGBs, which were designed to secure parental and community involvement in education.

The Department has defended the regulations as necessary to ensure uniformity, fairness, and improved governance in public schools. Officials say they will enhance equity and accountability while modernising school governance for the country’s 13.5 million learners.

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The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has posted record financial results, reporting higher profits, improved loan collections, and expanded infrastructure support for municipalities and schools.

The results, for the year ending March, were released on Wednesday.

Despite what it described as a challenging domestic and global environment, the state-owned financier delivered a record net profit of R5.3 billion, up 14.4% from R4.6 billion last year.

Net interest income rose 8.6% to R8.4 billion, while operating income increased 12.3% to R8.8 billion. Sustainable earnings grew 13.7% to R5.1 billion.

The DBSA also maintained strong asset quality, with net non-performing loans at just 1.2% of total development loans and bonds of R114.6 billion, down by 0.5% from last year.

Global conditions weighed on performance, with supply chains disrupted by US trade tariffs, conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, and tighter financial markets.

Domestically, easing load-shedding and structural reforms offered some relief, but challenges remained, including logistics bottlenecks, weak municipal financial management, and limited government capacity to implement infrastructure policy.

During the year, the bank disbursed R17.5 billion in loans and equity (up 2.9% from R17 billion), supported by a R120 billion asset base.

Collections rose 19% to a record R27.4 billion. Its debt-to-equity ratio, including R20 billion callable capital, improved to 78% from 89%, well below the 250% regulatory limit.

The DBSA also mobilised R91.3 billion in infrastructure support, including R22.9 billion in catalysed funds.

The bank said it delivered R5.2 billion in infrastructure implementation support and unlocked a further R2.6 billion for under-resourced municipalities.

Key projects worth R39.9 billion were enabled and supported, while projects valued at R2.4 billion were prepared and approved. In addition, specially identified District Municipalities received R800 million.

The DBSA also made a notable impact on school sanitation through the Department of Basic Education’s SAFE programme, with 22,722 learners benefiting from new sanitation facilities built in 98 schools funded by the programme.

A further 11,397 learners benefited from improved sanitation facilities constructed in 67 schools funded through provincial allocations.

In terms of inclusive development, black-owned enterprises delivered projects worth R4 billion, while women-owned businesses accounted for R2.6 billion.

A total of 956 small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) were contracted to deliver projects, with local construction SMMEs receiving R584 million in benefits.

These initiatives created approximately 35,000 jobs and provided skills training to 1,650 young people.

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Calm has returned to Tiyelelane Secondary School in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, following a protest on Tuesday by learners that left one student injured and damaged four state vehicles and one private car.

This comes after irate learners were seen pelting stones and moving between schools in an uproar over allegations of sexual assault by the teaching staff.

It is alleged that a teacher at the school had sexually assaulted one of the learners and one of the bus drivers had been in a relationship with another learner at the school.

The learners had reported the incidents to the principal who they said had ignored their outcry.

On Tuesday, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) removed the principal of Tiyelelane High School to restore calm to the school and the surrounding area.

GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said: “The department has taken the precautionary step of removing the principal from Tiyelelani Secondary effective from Wednesday, 3 September 2025.”

“We believe that this action will play a significant role in stabilising the school environment and allow for an impartial process. The acting deputy principal will assist with the day-to-day running of the school, supported by district officials.” 

Mabona said GDE are investigating the allegations of sexual assault, however the Tshwane South Africa Police Service (SAPS) said no allegations of sexual assault had been reported by the school.

Education MEC, Matome Chiloane said: “We are determined to act in the best interest of learners at Tiyelelani Secondary School and surrounding schools. Allegations of misconduct by educators or any employee even those from our service providers will be subjected to disciplinary processes.”

During the protests one learner was injured and rushed to a medical facility where they are recovering.

“The SAPS and TMPD continue to monitor the situation in Soshanguve after learners reportedly disrupted schools in that area. The police used stun grenades to disperse the crowd, which was pelting stones,” police said.

Matric learners who were scheduled to sit for preliminary examinations managed to write their papers as planned while law enforcement keeps a watchful eye on the situation.

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Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube marked Nelson Mandela International Day with a dual event in Mpumalanga focusing on school infrastructure improvement and early childhood development (ECD) registration.

In a return to Boschrand Primary School in White River following a visit earlier this year, Gwarube presided over the official handover of a brand-new classroom block, built through the Classrooms4Hope initiative in partnership with Mozambique‘s Pipeline Investments Company, Ride4Hope and the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

“When I first visited Boschrand in January, up to four learners were sharing a desk. Today, because of collaboration between government and our corporate partners, we hand over fully furnished classrooms that ensure a dignified and effective learning environment for all 1400 learners,” Gwarube said.

The event highlighted the crucial role of public-private partnerships in addressing infrastructure backlogs in underserved schools.

The new classrooms included attached storage facilities and furniture, directly addressing the overcrowding that had particularly impacted Grade R learners.

The project forms part of broader efforts to tackle infrastructure deficits in rural and township schools across South Africa.

Quoting Nelson Mandela, Gwarube said: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”

She emphasised that despite budgetary constraints in the basic education sector, “our commitment to providing every South African child with access to quality education remains steadfast”.

Learners, parents, teachers and local officials gathered to celebrate as the keys to the new classrooms were officially handed over.

The moment marked the culmination of months of coordinated effort and a shared belief in education as a vehicle for social upliftment.

Gwarube underlined the transformative potential of tripartite partnerships.

“When government, civil society and the private sector work together with shared purpose, we can restore dignity, hope and opportunity through education,” she said.

Following the handover, Gwarube travelled to Early Bird Daycare in KwaMsholozi, where she hosted a lively and informative Bana Pele ECD Registration Clinic in collaboration with Takalani Sesame.

Children, educators and parents were treated to appearances by the programme’s iconic muppet characters and an interactive play zone.

The event aimed to promote awareness about the importance of ECD while driving formal registration of ECD centres nationwide.

“We want every child in South Africa to have a strong start, emotionally, cognitively and socially. And that begins with recognising and supporting the critical role of ECD practitioners,” Gwarube said.

The department’s goal is to register 10,000 ECD centres by the end of 2025.

The registration initiative serves four key functions including formal inclusion of ECD programmes in the national regulatory system, support for compliance with legal and safety standards, access to state subsidies, especially for centres serving low-income families, and efficient processing of registration applications to reduce administrative delays.

The clinic also offered parents and caregivers an opportunity to speak directly with officials about the benefits of formalising their centres and the support available from the department.

Gwarube praised ECD workers for their often unrecognised efforts and committed to ensuring that the department prioritised funding, training and resources for early learning facilities in under-resourced communities.

Meanwhile, Basic Education Deputy Minister Reginah Mhaule led the department’s Mandela Day outreach in Thembisa, Gauteng, visiting two local ECD centres, Silindokuhle Day and After Care Centre and My Angels Day and After Care Centre, alongside deputy director-general Simone Geyer and ward councillor Nomvula Malinga.

The centres received donations of educational toys and books aimed at enhancing cognitive development and sparking curiosity in young learners.

Mhaule began the day by reading books aloud to the children and encouraged staff to incorporate storytelling into their daily routines.

“Reading and listening to stories nurtures imagination, builds language skills, and lays the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. These early interactions with books are not optional, they are essential,” Mhaule said.

Mhaule reaffirmed the department’s broader objective of empowering ECD centres with resources, training and institutional support, stating that every child “deserves a joyful, safe and stimulating start to life”.

Across both provinces, the department hailed its Mandela Day activities as showcasing a coherent and impactful vision of building bridges between sectors, strengthening educational foundations, and honouring the legacy of Madiba through service to South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens, its children.

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South African primary schools are facing a crisis. Every day, learners fight, bully, destroy property, and intimidate other learners and teachers, turning what should be safe spaces into places of fear and mistrust.

Research shows that learner behaviour frequently involves violence, bullying and vandalism (damage to school property) that threatens the safety of both learners and staff.

The media usually report only serious cases of violence, but schools and teachers face challenging and dangerous behaviour every day that often goes unreported. This underreporting is not unique to South Africa; it’s a challenge seen in other countries too.

Research shows that this kind of behaviour disrupts teaching and learning, leading to poor learner performance and school dropouts.

Teachers frequently face aggression and intimidation from learners, which undermines their ability to teach effectively. They feel unsafe and frustrated when learners act aggressively, and this problem worsens when parents protect their children’s bad behaviour instead of addressing it.

Violence, bullying, and damage to school property don’t just cause harm to learners and teachers. They also cost schools money to repair the damage and cause emotional trauma and suffering for victims and their families.

Given these realities, it is important to carefully explore the lived experiences of teachers, school leaders and caretakers to fully understand the severity and complexity of challenging learner behaviour. This understanding is essential for developing effective policies and interventions aimed at restoring safety and improving learning environments in South African primary schools.

As part of a wider study of challenging learner behaviour, I interviewed 21 participants from three primary schools in Durban, South Africa. It was a qualitative case study, in which the small sample size was well-suited and provided relevant and credible information on challenging learner behaviour. Thematic analysis was appropriate for identifying patterns and themes for further exploration.

The aim was to probe the participants’ perspectives to understand how learners’ challenging behaviour is experienced in primary schools. I wanted to know more about how behaviour stemming from children’s homes and environments, playing out at school, was affecting teachers and the overall school climate.

The interviews indicated that teachers were unhappy and wanting to quit the profession, learner victims faced constant fear and distress, and caretakers felt degraded. If this is a sign of how teachers, children and caretakers are feeling around South Africa, it points to the need for ways to reduce their stress.

Voices from schools

The schools in my study are located in semi-urban areas within the same district and serve learners from grade R (about age 5) to grade 7 (about age 12). The surrounding communities face high levels of unemployment, domestic violence, and various social challenges.

Fifteen teachers, three governors, and three caretakers shared their experiences through interviews, enabling open discussion and deeper insights. Consistency across school sites supported the trustworthiness of the findings. Ethical guidelines were followed throughout.

Across the three schools, participants described an environment where serious learner misconduct was a common, everyday problem.

Teachers, governors, and caretakers reported daily disruptions that affected teaching, learning and emotional wellbeing. Aggression and violence were constant. Learners engaged in physical fights – punching, kicking, and using sharp objects like pencils and knives. These were not minor scuffles but incidents that caused serious injuries. Teachers were also threatened, shouted at, and occasionally physically harmed.

Bullying was widespread, both verbal and physical. Learners harassed peers through name-calling, exclusion, extortion and intimidation, often in unsupervised spaces like toilets and tuckshops. Victims lived in fear, while teachers struggled to maintain discipline and protect vulnerable learners.

Vandalism and property damage were routine. Learners tore up textbooks, damaged desks and windows, defaced walls with vulgar graffiti, and clogged toilets with rubbish. Caretakers faced degrading tasks like cleaning and scrubbing faeces and graffiti off the walls. The costs of repairing damage strained already limited school budgets.

Adding to the tension, gang-like behaviour emerged. Small groups banded together to provoke fights, intimidate others, and sometimes fuel unrest rooted in xenophobia or local politics, creating fear, uncertainty and division among learners.

Some incidents had gendered and criminal implications, including the reporting of boys violating the privacy and rights of other boys in the school toilets, and girls being inappropriately touched and harassed. This contributed to emotional trauma and, in some cases, learner dropout – especially among girls. The United Nations Children’s Fund posits that school violence contributes to girls dropping out of school. The dropout rate is a concern in South Africa.

Stealing and lying were common. Learners stole from classmates, teachers, and school offices, often without remorse, and frequently lied or blamed others when confronted, further eroding trust and accountability.

Many participants believed learners expressed unspoken pain or mirrored violence and instability seen at home and in their communities. According to social cognitive theory, such behaviours are learned. Children exposed to violence, neglect, or chaos often replicate these actions in school. Without consistent guidance, role models, or consequences, the cycle intensifies.

Moving forward

In short, these schools are no longer safe havens for learning – they are in crisis. Without urgent and effective intervention, the very mission of basic education – and the wellbeing of children – is at risk.

Primary schools depend on governing authorities and communities for their safety and success. Stakeholders must take collective action to reclaim schools as safe learning spaces.

Governing authorities should address the issues raised by reviewing policies and implementing support programmes, including counselling, family-school partnerships, and teacher training to handle challenging behaviour in positive and sustainable ways.

Julie Shantone Rubbi Nunan is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Early Childhood Education and Development, University of South Africa.

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The North West education department has handed over infrastructure projects to Ikageng schools in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district as part of its accelerated service delivery programme – Thuntsha Lerole.

New Bright Beginnings Primary school received a clear view fence, while Nanogang Primary School now has a borehole.

Education MEC Viola Motsumi emphasised the importance of providing learners with quality education in a conducive learning environment. 

“As the department of education in the North West province we will ensure that we reach out to all schools in the province through Thuntsa Lerole. We will ensure that the learning environment is conducive for learning and teaching.”

She added that fencing and access to water were essential components of a well-functioning school, directly impacting the quality of education learners receive.

“We want our children to be taught in a safe learning environment hence we have provided a clear view fence, and this security initiative is implemented in many schools across the province,” Motsumi said.

“At Nanogang primary, we have installed a borehole in order to address the shortage of water experienced at the school. All these contributions will ensure that teaching and learning takes place without any interruption.”

Last month, newly constructed toilets were unveiled at Monakato Primary School and 38 school uniforms were given to learners at Maumong and Tlapa primary schools as part of the programme.

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The Democratic Alliance has issued a call to action amid the deepening financial crisis within KwaZulu-Natal’s education department.

With budget constraints threatening critical services, the party is urging provincial leaders to put aside political differences and personal agendas.

The DA insists that the welfare and future of learners must come first, warning that continued mismanagement could severely impact education delivery across the province.

“Two issues in particular expose the devastating mismanagement that continues to define this department – the halting of critical infrastructure projects by the province’s department of public works and infrastructure due to non-payment and the looming threat of salary payment crisis that could leave thousands of educators unpaid,” KZN education spokesperson Sakhile Mngadi said in a statement on Friday.

Following a February oversight visit by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, provincial education HOD Nkosinathi Ngcobo revealed that the province’s education crisis deepened after the National Treasury failed to allocate extra funds for public sector wage hikes.

Speaking to Inside Education last month, Ngcobo explained that the department was forced to cover the shortfall from its own limited budget, severely hampering its ability to maintain schools and cover essential services like electricity.

“We are not close to a point where employees will not be getting paid. Salaries are protected,” he emphasised during the interview.

In a recent briefing to the KZN legislature’s portfolio committee on finance, the department’s CFO, Ntokozo Mlaba, issued a stark warning about the impact of ongoing budget cuts.

Mlaba revealed that the department may be unable to fund the salaries of 2336 teaching posts during the current financial year, raising serious concerns about staffing shortages and the stability of education delivery in the province.

The DA said that despite the severity of the crisis, education MEC Mbali Hlomuka has shown little urgency and was failing to fully engage with province’s education portfolio committee.

The party claimed that Hlomuka has withheld critical information and lacked political will to implement meaningful reforms to address the matter.

“This is not just poor governance – it is a betrayal of every child who depends on our public education system to escape poverty. The DoE is not just cash-strapped, it is functionally bankrupt in terms of vision and leadership,” Mngadi added.

The DA called for urgent reforms to KZN’s education budget, including restructuring the wage bill through an audit of ghost posts and a freeze on non-essential hires.

It also proposed a ring-fenced infrastructure fund, managed transparently, to ensure timely payments to service providers and prevent further delays in critical school construction and maintenance projects.

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Teachers’ union Sadtu will embark on national protest to the Treasury, and departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training in Pretoria this week against budget cuts.

“This mass action is in protest against the austerity measures that are undermining public service delivery – particularly in education – and threatening the constitutional right to equality in education, especially for children from poor and working class backgrounds,” Sadtu general secretary, Mugwena Maluleke said in statement on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s march aligns with the global call by Education International under the theme “Go Public! Fund Education”.

The union aims to spotlight the severe impact budget cuts are having on South Africa’s education system, affecting teachers, learners and communities.

Mugwena said overcrowding in schools was growing and thousands of posts had been left vacant.

He said the Western Cape had frozen over 2000 posts, while other provinces have failed to expand staffing to match increasing enrolment numbers.

“… schools do not receive their funding for norms and standards timeously, forcing principals to cover basic operational costs from their own pockets. Educators and learners are also facing growing safety concerns, with violence in schools on the rise,” Mugwena added.

“Yet little is being done to strengthen security or to provide adequate psychological support. The lack of investment in teacher wellbeing continues to strain and already overstretched workforce.”

A recent Satu survey reveals the harsh impact of budget cuts on education, including overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure and shortage of staff. Grade R practitioners face exploitative wages, while scholar transport payments lag.

The union blames these issues on the harmful neoliberal policies that it says must end.

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The Democratic Alliance in Mpumalanga has called for scholar transport to be moved from the provincial transport department to the education department.

This follows government-subsidised scholar transport being disrupted after operators stopped their services due to invoices not being paid and invalid contacts.

The provincial government failed to pay operators across the province for February and March.

DA provincial education spokesperson Annerie Weber said the party outrightly rejected the “ridiculous explanation” from the transport department that the payment delays were due to the “transition from the 2024/2025 financial year to the 2025/2026 financial year”.

“Every year the financial year ends, and another financial year starts – nothing about that causes two months of non-payment,” she said in a statement on Friday.

“This is a catastrophic and unacceptable administrative failure, by senior officials, who must be held to account. The DA demands a full forensic and financial investigation into these payments to find who is responsible so that they can undergo strong disciplinary action.”

Weber said that the way scholar transport was set up in Mpumalanga was also the issue as it fell under the public works and transport department. In some provinces it fell under the jurisdiction of the education department.

She said a long-term solution to this problem was moving it to the provincial education department.

“It is unacceptable that learners’ education is put at risk because of mismanagement and non-payment.”

Subsidised transport in Mpumalanga reportedly assists about 60,000 learners from grades R to 12 in rural and farming communities who lack public transport. 

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South Africa’s ambitious goal of achieving universal access to quality early childhood development (ECD) by 2030 is facing a major hurdle – a critical funding shortfall. 

While the government has pledged R10 billion over the next three years, experts warn that without immediate private sector involvement and innovative financial mechanisms, millions of children will remain without proper early learning support.

Discussions at the Bana Pele 2030 Roadmap Leadership Summit on Monday made it clear that traditional subsidy models are insufficient to meet the growing demand. To truly transform the ECD sector, the conversation has shifted towards strategic financial partnerships, leveraging private capital and ensuring outcome-based accountability.

The R10 billion allocation announced during last week’s Budget is largely focused on operational costs such as subsidies, nutrition and practitioner stipends. However, Basic Education Department acting director for ECD, Janeli Kotze, highlighted a crucial gap.

“We’re covering operational costs, but what’s missing is the capital investment required to create new ECD centres and improve training. That’s where partnerships with the private sector and new financial instruments come into play,” she said during a panel discussion.

Many ECD practitioners remain undertrained and underpaid, leading to inconsistencies in the quality of services offered to children in vulnerable communities.

Education budget and policy analyst at the National Treasury, Spencer Janari, echoed this sentiment, stressing that strategic spending must be prioritised. 

“It’s not just about throwing money at the sector. We need to ensure that each investment builds on the next, so we’re not left with fragmented, short-term funding that doesn’t yield sustained progress.”

Despite the planned subsidy increases, 800,000 children remain outside the ECD support system. The government’s goal is to reach 1.5 million children by 2027, but that still falls short of the department’s 2030 target of 2.3 million children.

“The funding must do two things simultaneously,” Kotze emphasised. “It must increase access for the remaining children and improve quality across the board. This is not sequential—we must work on both at the same time.”

The government has outlined a structured plan for the R10 billion allocation to ensure sustainable growth in the sector. 

A substantial portion of the funds will go towards increasing subsidies for existing ECD centres, ensuring they can cover operational costs such as salaries for practitioners, food and nutrition for children and education materials. 

Another priority is expanding access to underserved areas by funding new ECD centres in rural and underprivileged communities, providing the necessary infrastructure, learning materials and ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.

Beyond infrastructure, a key focus will be on practitioner training and support, with significant investment allocated to upskilling educators through certification programmes, mentorship and ongoing professional development to enhance the quality of teaching. 

Recognising the inefficiencies in subsidy distribution, the government will also develop a digital tracking system to streamline registration and funding allocation, allowing real-time monitoring of enrolment and expenditure. 

Additionally, part of the funding will serve as an incentive to attract private sector contributions through co-funding mechanisms, such as social impact bonds and blended finance models. 

Finally, the allocation includes provisions for nutrition and health programmes, supporting school feeding initiatives, health check-ups and sanitation improvements to create a safe and nurturing environment for young learners.

One of the strongest calls during the discussions was for private investment to catalyse the expansion of ECD programmes. 

Ilifa Labantwana chief economist Laura Droomer championed the idea of an ECD Outcomes Fund, a blended financing model that would incentivise private investors by linking returns to measurable improvements in early learning outcomes.

“We need private funding to catalyse new practitioners into the workforce,” Droomer explained. “Match funding models, social impact bonds and public-private partnerships are all tools we must leverage to reach our 2030 goals.”

A proposed outcome-based financing model will allow investors to fund ECD programmes upfront and be repaid by the government and donors if specific educational and developmental benchmarks are met. This approach ensures accountability and impact-driven spending.

Additionally, match funding has been presented as a key tool to unlock larger investments. Under this model, private sector contributions will be matched by government funds, ensuring that every rand invested delivers a greater impact.

Experts also pointed to international models where social impact bonds have been used successfully to drive innovation and accountability in education funding.

Another key concern raised is the bureaucratic challenges preventing ECD centres from accessing subsidies. With a largely paper-based registration system, tracking and allocating subsidies efficiently has been difficult. 

Many new practitioners struggle to register their programmes due to cumbersome processes, resulting in thousands of children missing out on much-needed early education opportunities.

Panellists agreed that a streamlined digital system that simplified registration was urgently needed to ensure funding reached new centres faster.

Without such reforms, even the additional financial injections will struggle to make an immediate impact. 

They said developing a national ECD tracking system would provide real-time data on enrolment, funding allocation and programme effectiveness.

“There is no point in increasing subsidies if the system cannot efficiently distribute them,” Kotze noted. “We need a transparent, digitised system that allows for real-time monitoring and ensures every cent is being used effectively.”

Ilifa Labantwana CEO Zaheera Mohamed also stressed the need for a collaborative funding approach to maximise impact. 

“We need to move beyond isolated investments. A unified, transparent funding platform will allow us to pool resources effectively, scale innovative solutions and ensure long-term sustainability,” she said.

Mohamed stressed the importance of a multi-sector approach, where private companies, philanthropic organisations and government entities worked together to create a long-term financial model for ECD.

The summit acknowledged that quality ECD for all is critical to help break the cycle of poverty in the country and promote long-term education, health and economic development.

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