By Johnathan Paoli

In a step to uplift STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in township schools, Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has officially launched the KwaNobuhle Maths and Science Centre.

Speaking at the launch, president and CEO of Kutlwanong, Tumelo Mabitsela, described the initiative as a “transformational opportunity” for young people in the area.

“Through our partnership with Volkswagen Group Africa, our learners are now afforded a fantastic opportunity of excelling in gateway subjects, namely mathematics and physical sciences. We will see engineers, scientists and innovators emerge from KwaNobuhle because of this investment,” Mabitsela said.

Situated at Solomon Mahlangu Secondary School in Kariega, the Centre is part of a four-year, R25-million partnership with education non-profit Kutlwanong, and is supported by Jendamark’s Odin Education platform.

The initiative targets Grade 10–12 learners from nine secondary schools in KwaNobuhle, providing them with additional tuition in mathematics and physical sciences through Kutlwanong’s renowned ProMaths programme.

Known for its track record in improving maths and science outcomes in underserved communities, ProMaths currently operates in 19 centres across South Africa.

The centre’s first cohort of 200 Grade 10 learners will begin classes in 2025 and will continue to receive tuition through to matric in 2027.

A second cohort of 200 will begin in 2026 and continue through to 2028.

Learners will be supported by a team of 14 specialist educators, with seven for mathematics and seven for physical sciences.

In addition to in-person teaching, learners will benefit from digital support.

Education technology company Jendamark will provide Omang tablets through its Odin Education platform, enabling students to access learning materials and resources both at school and at home.

VWGA director for corporate and government Affairs Nonkqubela Maliza said that while the group believed in the potential of South Africa’s youth, it required nurturing.

“This centre is an investment in futures. Futures filled with promise, progress and purpose. We are proud to support learners on their journey to becoming the engineers, doctors and scientists of tomorrow,” Maliza said.

Solomon Mahlangu Secondary School was chosen as the home of the centre due to its strong leadership and strategic location.

However, its benefits will extend to learners from eight other schools in the area: Marymount Convent High School, Molly Blackburn Secondary School, Nkululeko Public Secondary School, Phaphani Secondary School, Thanduxolo Comprehensive Secondary School, Tinarha Secondary School, Uitenhage High School and VM Kwinana Senior Secondary School.

Maliza said the centre aligned with VWGA’s broader commitment to community development in the Eastern Cape, where the company’s headquarters were located.

Over the years, VWGA has invested in various educational and youth empowerment initiatives in Kariega, making the region a focal point of its social impact work.

According to Maliza, the focus on STEM subjects was not only about improving exam results, but about broadening career horizons and building a future workforce ready to contribute to the country’s innovation economy.

Kutlwanong’s ProMaths programme has been lauded nationally for its ability to raise pass rates and distinction numbers in maths and science, especially in under-resourced schools.

The programme’s success lies in its intensive curriculum support, expert teaching and continuous mentorship, giving learners a fair chance at pursuing tertiary studies in critical fields.

Mabitsela noted that this partnership validated the dreams of the community for years to come.

“Through ProMaths, we are unlocking doors that were once shut, and we’re saying to these learners: your future is worth investing in,” he said.

Mabitsela said the centre represented a powerful collaboration between the private sector, non-profit organisations and public education; one that may serve as a model for future education initiatives in South Africa.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Parliament’s Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries has called on the Higher Education and Training Department to maintain momentum within the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), despite recent developments surrounding “perceived conflicts” of interest in board appointments.

Committee chairperson Makhi Feni affirmed the committee’s confidence in Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane’s leadership and her prompt response to public concerns.

“It is unfortunate and unfair to ridicule the entire sector based on what was ultimately an error in judgement. We commend the minister for her responsiveness and ability to lead a complex sector such as higher education,” Feni said.

This comes after Nkabane withdrew the appointment of SETA board chairpersons amid public concern over transparency and governance, following criticism over possible conflicts of interest in some of the appointments, prompting the re-opening of the process.

While acknowledging the controversy, Feni urged all stakeholders to avoid using the board appointment issue as a basis for broader allegations of corruption within the department.

He said the appointment of SETA boards was just one of many ministerial responsibilities and should not overshadow the valuable work being done across the post-school education and training landscape.

“We therefore make the call that momentum should not be lost in the important interventions of the SETAs. Our education system remains too focused on the university model, often at the expense of skills development and vocational training. SETAs play a critical role in closing that gap,” he said.

The SETAs, which are responsible for promoting skills development in key economic sectors, have been central to the national effort to align education and training with labour market needs.

Feni warned that any pause in their operations due to governance uncertainty would negatively impact efforts to boost employability and drive inclusive economic growth.

Nkabane announced the withdrawal of the disputed appointments on Thursday, saying she would establish a new independent panel to process the nominations and recommend candidates.

The committee said this decision affirmed the minister’s commitment to transparent governance and offered South Africans a rare opportunity to shape the leadership of institutions tasked with national skills development.

Feni said the committee fully supported the minister’s right to appoint individuals she deemed fit, provided that those appointments reflected the values of accountability and service to the public good.

“These should be men and women who will advance the objectives of society and contribute to the vision of the Government of National Unity,” he said.

The committee encouraged citizens and stakeholders to use this window to recommend credible candidates.

Nkabane said the reappointment process would proceed swiftly in the coming weeks.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Sioux McKenna and Nompilo Tshuma

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is trained on enormous bodies of text, video and images to identify patterns. It then creates new texts, videos and images on the basis of this pattern identification. Thanks to machine learning, it improves its ability to do so every time it is used.

As AI becomes embedded in academic life, a troubling reality has emerged: students are extremely vulnerable to its use. They don’t know enough about what AI is to be alert to its shortcomings. And they don’t know enough about their subject content to make judgements on this anyway. Most importantly, they don’t know what they don’t know.

As two academics involved in higher education teaching, we argue that there are four key dangers facing students in today’s world of AI. They are:

blind trust in its abilities

using it to side-step actual learning

not knowing how it works

perpetuating the gap between expertise and uncritical yet confident noise.

Given our experiences as academics who have developed curricula for students and who research generative AI, we think there are three things universities can do. They should teach critical AI literacy, emphasise why developing knowledge is important, and teach students why being an expert matters if they’re going to engage meaningfully with AI.

THE FOUR DANGERS

Blind trust in AI’s false confidence. A recent Microsoft report showed that those who know the least about a topic are the most likely to accept AI outputs as correct. Generative AI programs like ChatGPT and Claude produce text with remarkable confidence. Students lacking domain expertise can’t identify when these systems are completely wrong.

Headlines already demonstrate the consequences of this in the workplace: lawyers submitting fabricated case citations generated by AI, and hospitals using AI transcription tools that invent statements never actually made.

Generative AI can get it wrong because it doesn’t understandanything in the human sense of the word. But it can identify and replicate patterns with remarkable sophistication. These patterns include not only words and ideas but also tone and style.

Missing the power of education. A core purpose of higher education is to give students a new way of understanding the world and their place in it. When students use AI in ways that sidestep intellectual challenges, they miss this essential transformation.

When students simply outsource their thinking to AI, they’re getting credentials without competence. They might graduate with degrees but without knowledge and expertise.

The false confidence trap. Even students who develop critical awareness about AI’s limitations face what Punya Mishra, a learning engineer professor at Arizona State University, calls “the false confidence trap”. They might recognise that AI can produce errors but lack sufficient subject knowledge to correct those errors.

As Mishra puts it:

It’s like having a generic BS detector but no way to separate truth from fiction.

This creates a dangerous half-measure where students recognise AI isn’t perfect but can’t effectively evaluate its outputs.

Perpetuating the knowledge gap. As AI becomes ubiquitous in workplaces, the gap between those with genuine expertise and those relying solely on AI will widen. Students who haven’t developed their own knowledge foundations will be increasingly marginalised in a world that paradoxically values human expertise more, not less, as AI advances.

ANSWERS

There are three steps universities can take.

Integrate critical AI literacy. Students need to understand how generative AI works – how AI is trained on massive databases of human-created texts and images to identify patterns by which to craft new outputs.

It’s not enough to have an “Intro to AI” course. Every discipline needs to show students how AI intersects with their field and, most significantly, empower them to reflect on the ethical implications of its use. This includes engaging in questions around the use of copyrighted materials for the training of generative AI, the biases inherent in AI generated texts and images, and the enormous environmental cost of AI use.

Emphasise knowledge development. Higher education institutions must actively counter the view that university is merely about the provision of credentials. We need to help students see the value of acquiring domain expertise. This is not always self-evident to those students who understand higher education only as a means to a job, which encourages them to engage with knowledge in an instrumentalist way – and thus to use AI in ways that prevent engagement with complex ideas. It is a personal relationship with knowledge that will prepare them for a future where AI is everywhere. Advocating for the power of knowledge needs to be a central part of every academic’s job description.

Model dual expertise. Academics should model what Mishra calls “the dual expertise challenge” — combining domain knowledge with critical AI literacy. This means demonstrating to students how experts engage with AI: analysing its outputs against established knowledge, identifying biases or gaps, and using AI as a tool to enhance human expertise rather than replace it.

As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, the value of human expertise only grows. Universities that prepare students to critically engage with AI while developing deep domain knowledge will graduate the experts that society needs in this rapidly evolving technological landscape.

We have our work cut out for us, but expertise remains highly valued.

Sioux McKenna is Professor of Higher Education, Rhodes University and Nompilo Tshuma is Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Educational Technology and Higher Education Studies, Stellenbosch University.

The Conversation

By Levy Masiteng

In effort to bridge the digital divide, the Telkom Foundation in partnership with Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi, has unveiled a cutting-edge Cyberlab at Morutwa Secondary School in Madiga Village, Polokwane.

The foundation said the facility would benefit over 350 learners in Grades 10 to 12 and 25 educators annually, with its potential reach extending to the broader community through engagement and support programmes. 

The new lab is equipped with an array of digital learning tools, including 40 new workstations that provide learners with hands-on experience in computing and technology, and 10 laptops so that students can access online resources and conduct research. 

Online resources include platforms such as TelkomLearn, Lightbulb and BCX Learn through Alibaba Cloud. The lab will allow learners to do online education research, conduct online experiments and ultimately apply to universities, the foundation said.

The unveiling also saw the donation of pre-owned desks and office furniture for classrooms and staff areas, a school website with email addresses for all staff, and Telkom support for electricity connections.

Telkom’s chief digital officer Sello Mmakau highlighted the importance of digital inclusion, saying that “ICT access, digital skills and connectivity are engines of personal and economic growth”.

Telkom Foundation head Judy Vilakazi emphasised the organisation’s commitment to leveraging technology to improve education and drive socio-economic development.

“The objective is to drive sustainable socio-economic solutions and to make a difference for South Africa’s communities. We are proud to be able to make a contribution here at Morutwa,” she said.

Principal ETI Manyuwa expressed his gratitude for the Cyberlab.

“It will allow children to access knowledge online, but it will also allow our teachers to improve the training they can provide our learners through a more powerful online teaching resource.”

Malatsi’s department said the launch underscored the minister’s commitment to working with the private sector and taking a “whole-of-society approach” to expanding digital access and bridging the digital divide.

The launch, supported by Sentech, marked World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The theme for this year was “Closing the Gender Digital Divide Unlocks Opportunity For All”.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Alicia Mmashakana

The Water and Sanitation epartment has commended Tembisa West Secondary School for winning the Gauteng leg of the 2025 South African Youth Water Prize.

The competition challenged students in Grade 9 to 11 studying Mathematics and Physical Science to identify real-world water, sanitation or environmental issues in their communities and respond with innovative awareness campaigns or technical solutions.

The school’s Siyabonga Khuzwayo, who was mentored by Kiew Mthombeni, was crowned the Gauteng champion and will represent the province at the forthcoming national adjudication later this month.

Bryanston High School from Johannesburg came in second place and was followed by Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool Pretoria.

Schools that showed extraordinary creativity and effort received special recognition awards.

The Outstanding Innovation Award also went to Tembisa West Secondary School. Protea Glen Secondary School received the Outstanding Awareness Campaign Award and Buhlebemfundo Secondary School was recognised for the best research paper.

The department collaborates with the Stockholm International Water Institute on the competition.

Its goal is to empower young South Africans to become future leaders in water resource management by involving them in science and technology-driven innovation initiatives.

The panel of judges, made up of officials from the department, young professionals from Rand Water, scientists and engineers from the Tshwane University of Technology and Unisa, undertook to continue supporting the participating schools with training and mentoring programmes to help the pupils refine and improve their projects of their students.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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

By Amy Musgrave

Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane has withdrawn the appointment of the board chairpersons of the country’s various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

In a statement on Thursday night, the minister said she had made the decision following public concerns.

“I have decided to recalibrate the process – which was overseen by an independent panel. I call on all relevant constituencies to nominate candidates,” the statement read.

“The integrity of the process for appointments will be made in terms of the guidelines as outlined in the Skills Development Act, 1998 as amended.

I have taken the decision to withdraw previous appointments in response to public concerns.”

Nkabane said she had also taken the decision in the interest of good governance and transparency to ensure accountability of the appointment process.

A list of the chairs was leaked earlier this week. Various political parties took issue with the appointment of Buyambo Mantashe, who is the son of ANC chairperson and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, as the chairperson of the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA.

There have also been questions around the appointment of Nomusa Dube-Ncube, the former premier of KwaZulu-Natal, as chairperson of Banking SETA, and Siboniso Mbhele, the current HOD of the KwaZulu-Natal transport department to the Transport Education Training Authority board.

The minister said she would now reopen the process by issuing a Government Gazette calling for nominations for a limited run of seven days.

She will also establish a new independent panel to process the nominations and recommend candidates.

“This process will put emphasis on merit, competencies and relevant experiences – with balanced representations in terms of race, gender, youth and persons with disabilities. Similar to the previous process, all recommended candidates will have to pass the necessary screening and vetting processes,” Nkabane said.

The minister said that in the interest of transparency and good governance, she felt it was necessary to present the data of qualifications of previously recommended Board Chairs.

From 20 SETA Board Chairs that were previously recommended, there were three Doctoral Degrees (NQF Level 10), at least 15 master’s degrees (NQF 09) and two medical doctors. Amongst others, their competencies ranged from engineers, chartered accountants, auditors, advocates, medical doctors and governance experts.

Nkabane said she intended to present the new board chairs the shortest period possible.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) came under intense scrutiny this week after revealing in its Fourth Quarterly Performance Report that major infrastructure targets were slashed, while persistent concerns over school safety, staff shortages and corruption remained largely unaddressed.

MPs grilled the department on the sharp reduction in school infrastructure delivery, failure to tackle corruption and unacceptable conditions at rural and township schools, warning that the current trajectory risked deepening inequality in education.

“Even if targets are revised due to constraints, such a drastic reduction from 30 schools to one needs explanation,” said Portfolio Committee on Basic Education chairperson Khomotjo Maimela while responding to the department’s admission that new school construction under Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) had all but stalled.

The DBE confirmed that its budget for school infrastructure, once valued at R2.4 billion, had been cut to R1.3 billion this financial year. It had been forced to reduce project targets across the board, including sanitation and water supply.

“This is the last year of the school infrastructure backlog grant,” explained department director-general Mathanzima Mweli.

“We’ve gone from eradicating over 1000 schools a year to just 100 and only managed to reach 152. Treasury told us we won’t receive anything additional.”

The department’s CFO Patrick Khunou added that the department had to borrow R150 million from Early Childhood Development (ECD) funds to complete urgent infrastructure work.

This brought the ASIDI budget to R1.8 billion, of which R1.7 billion (93.96%) was spent.

“We transferred 100% of conditional grants and 99.99% of other transfers. The R90,000 underspend was due to a favourable exchange rate,” said Khunou.

“The money is often transferred internationally and fluctuates with the currency.”

Khunou also confirmed that all transfers to public entities like the South African Council for Educators (SACE) were completed in full.

MPs expressed outrage at the DBE’s failure to address corruption allegations, especially in Mpumalanga, where an oversight visit and media reports uncovered possible procurement irregularities in the purchase of school computers.

“We know you have corruption, it was even on the map and we went to attend it. Why is it missing from your report?” one MP asked. “How can you educate our children with a system designed by a white man to manage you, while you do nothing to free them?”

In response, Mweli confirmed that Mpumlanga premier Mandla Ndlovu had launched a forensic investigation into the procurement of the laptops.

“The premier found the amount paid matched pricing for specialised data machines. The process is being dealt with, and the deputy minister has been briefed,” Mweli said.

The premier said earlier this month that an update was expected at the end of May.

Committee members were visibly disturbed by a firsthand report from an MP who conducted an oversight visit at Ngodini High School in Mpumalanga, where learners had recently protested.

“This school has 813 learners and only 22 teachers, three are SGB-paid. There are no teachers for Agricultural or Life Sciences. Learners pay R1,800 for a camp that provides no food. Toilets are inadequate. One security guard paid by the SGB and a fence you can walk around,” the MP said.

Further allegations included the principal’s control of school finances, his alleged appointment of a personal assistant to teach English without qualifications and serious claims of sexual harassment and the disappearance of food parcels.

“The principal is now suspended. He turned the school into his bedroom and kitchen. Our children are being failed and no one in the department has responded despite me raising this last week,” the MP added.

Mweli confirmed the department would send a comprehensive report on Ngodini High School within seven days.

MPs raised alarms about widespread teacher shortages, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Northern Cape, where schools lacked subject teachers especially in Grades 10 to 12.

“Phezulu High School in KZN was built in 1969 and hasn’t been renovated since. They’re missing 11 teachers. Uxolo Phambili High had no English or Geography teachers for four years,” one MP noted.

Mweli confirmed that KZN was under severe financial distress, with the provincial Treasury limiting decision-making by the education department.

“Teacher placement dropped from 90% to 54% due to lack of funds. The minister has written to the finance minister and asked for urgent intervention, including a delegated deputy minister if necessary,” Mweli said.

He added that the Free State could not pay employer contributions for medical aid, signalling a broader provincial fiscal collapse.

Several MPs criticised the collapse of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) and scholar transport in provinces like KZN and Eastern Cape.

“Some schools are not getting meals. Others have no transport. Yet the department reduced this to a bullet point,” an MP complained.

Mweli confirmed the issues and said provinces had been asked to report to the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), with ministerial follow-up meetings already scheduled with MECs in affected provinces.

On ECD programmes, the committee noted that many centres were run by unqualified caregivers and operated in unsafe facilities.

“We’ve visited 54 out of 75 targeted ECD sites. We will provide a report on how many are compliant and how many have qualified practitioners,” Mweli said.

In her remarks made earlier in the briefing, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube highlighted the Bana Pele national registration drive for ECD, opened by the president, as a sign of progress toward universal early learning access.

“This shows our commitment to quality, accessible ECD for every child,” said Gwarube.

MPs questioned the lack of designated career guidance staff for matric learners. Mweli responded that Life Orientation and Life Skills teachers provide guidance and offered to provide data on these personnel.

He also acknowledged foundational learning challenges, promising to share the national reading, writing and counting strategy used to monitor literacy improvement.

“We’re tracking impact and can share the outcomes with the committee,” he said.

Gwarube emphasised the department’s broader strategy.

“We are reorienting the system toward foundational learning, inclusive education and professional development of our educators. We don’t do this work in isolation, but we rely on the partnership and checks and balances provided by this committee,” she said.

Several members criticised the DBE for submitting only a PowerPoint presentation, saying it limited the depth of oversight.

“We need the actual report, not just slides. This must be fixed going forward,” one member stated.

Mweli agreed, confirming the department would submit both presentations and full reports in future engagements.

The portfolio committee left no doubt about its frustration and disappointment.

“Substandard education is being normalised. Only black schools suffer like this. The department is failing the learners of this country,” one MP declared.

While the department defended its constrained budget and outlined improvement strategies, MPs signalled that more urgent, transparent and measurable interventions were needed to restore confidence in the public education system.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

The Basic Education Department has revealed that 462 public high schools across the country do not offer maths.

This disclosure that has sparked concern in Parliament over education inequality and the future prospect of learners in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) driven economy.

This was laid bare in the department’s fourth quarterly report for the 2024/25 financial year, presented to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education this week.

MPs expressed alarm, warning that the failure to provide Mathematics in hundreds of schools amounted to a systemic denial of opportunity.

“These 462 schools are only offering Mathematical Literacy. There is no Mathematics, there is no Technical Mathematics in these schools,” said Seliki Tlhabane, the department’s chief director for maths, science and technology.

The problem is not new.

Data presented by the department shows that the number of schools without maths has remained stubbornly high over the past four years. They were 473 in 2021, 463 in 2022, and 462 in both 2023 and 2024.

“Out of these 462 schools, 427 were found to be small and non-viable… some are multi-grade schools, farm schools and schools that had fewer than 69 learners in Grade 12,” Tlhabane explained. 

“These enrolment figures fall short of policy requirements that call for a minimum of 35 learners per class stream, making it “impossible to offer both Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy in such schools”.

A provincial breakdown showed that KwaZulu-Natal with 136 schools, the Eastern Cape with 97 and Limpopo with 78, accounted for the largest number of schools without Mathematics.

The Western Cape, although better resourced, still recorded 61 such schools, many of them in urban metro areas such as Metro Central and Metro North.

During the meeting, the department’s director-general, Mathanzima Mweli, acknowledged the severity of the issue and stressed the department’s intent to address it through evidence-based, community-sensitive interventions.

“We recognise the frustration, but we must also deal with the reality on the ground,” Mweli said.

“The majority of these schools are not viable. Many of them have been affected by migration patterns, parents leave rural areas in search of work and learner numbers drop. This impacts the number of teachers allocated and the subjects that can be offered.”

Mweli added that the department was working closely with provinces to merge small schools, improve scholar transport and ensure learners were placed in schools where full subject offerings, including Mathematics, were available.

Committee members were deeply troubled by the implications.

Committee chairperson Khomotjo Maimela warned that learners in poor and rural communities were being systematically excluded from gateway subjects.

“If a learner wants to do Mathematics, they don’t have that choice because the only school nearest to them does not offer it,” Maimela said. “This is about access and equity. We are reproducing disadvantage by location.”

Several committee members also criticised the department for reporting only on Grade 12 data, arguing that subject stream decisions occurred as early as Grade 10. 

Maimela and others demanded full learner data from earlier grades to understand the full scale of the problem and to prevent learners from being steered into limited subject choices due to structural deficiencies.

In response, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube acknowledged that the situation was “deeply concerning” and that the department must act decisively.

“We are not sitting back and allowing children in affected communities to be left behind,” Gwarube told MPs.

“While some schools have become unviable, we are actively working on strategies to merge schools, introduce hostels and provide scholar transport”.

She emphasised that the department’s focus was increasingly shifting toward building a strong foundation in Mathematics and Literacy from the early grades, to ensure pupils were confident and equipped to pursue STEM subjects in high school and beyond.

“The bigger injustice is when children fear taking Mathematics or are discouraged by teachers because they lack a strong foundation. That’s why we are focusing on foundational learning as a key solution,” GwaRube added.

Despite reassurances, the hard reality persists that 462 schools still do not provide access to Mathematics, effectively limiting the academic and career paths of thousands of learners. 

The department has committed to delivering a full list of affected schools to Parliament and accelerating measures to resolve the issue.

“This is not acceptable, and it cannot be allowed to continue. We must ensure that every learner in South Africa has a right to choose their future and that begins with the ability to choose Mathematics,” Mweli said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Staff Reporter

The Western Cape education department has appealed to parents and guardians not to wait to register Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners, warning that late online applications close on Friday.

Admission for next year closed on 15 April, but the online admissions system has remained open for late applications.

The province has so far received late applications for 8603 learners for these grades, bringing the total number of learners applied to 173,872 on Wednesday afternoon.

After Friday, late applications must be submitted at education district offices or schools.

And, late applications will only be considered by schools after the applications received during the on-time window have been considered.

“We appeal to parents to submit their late applications as soon as possible. It helps us to plan better if additional school places are required,” it said in a statement.

Schools in the province will start making offers of acceptance at the end of the month.

The department said parents would need to confirm their acceptance by 17 June 2025.

The online window for transfer applications for Grades 2 to 7 and 9 to 12 will open on 4 August 2025 and close on 18 August 2025.

It said transfer applications for learners who have reached their highest grade in their school, or whose parents have relocated, would be prioritised.  

INSIDE EDUCATION