By Johnathan Paoli

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has reaffirmed her department’s commitment to focusing on measurable change for education outcomes and shaping realistic solutions to the country’s Cape’s most pressing education challenges.

Speaking at the Western Cape Education Indaba under the theme “Putting Children First – Building a Future-Fit, Inclusive Education System” as part of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, Gwarube said the country’s role was to go beyond rhetoric and ensure that global commitments translated into tangible action and local realities.

“It is about ensuring that global debates on education are not abstract, but connected to the classrooms in Khayelitsha, the early childhood centres in George, the high schools of Cape Town, and the rural schools stretching across the Karoo and the West Coast,” she said.

The minister highlighted two of the G20’s central education priorities – quality foundational learning and professional development for teachers in a changing world. She said they were directly relevant to South Africa’s context.

“The transition from graduate to classroom must be smooth. We should align provincial induction programmes with university training so that learning continues throughout a teacher’s career,” she noted.

Drawing inspiration from international models such as Finland and Singapore, Gwarube argued that South Africa must craft a uniquely local approach.

“We must design a South African, and indeed a Western Cape model, rooted in our realities, enriched by global best practice and driven by our vision for injecting excellence into our education system,” she said.

She outlined six key areas for partnership-driven reform: aligning policy with teacher education, creating professional learning communities, planning teacher supply and demand, strengthening work-integrated learning, building seamless induction and continuous professional development systems, and advancing joint monitoring, evaluation and research.

“This indaba must not be remembered for speeches alone, but for the partnerships it builds and the commitments it inspires. If we meet this moment with rigour, creativity and a refusal to accept mediocrity, the ripple effects of our work here will be felt in every classroom across South Africa and beyond,” Gwarube said.

Western Cape education HOD Brent Walters set the tone for the meeting by reminding delegates that quality foundational learning, early childhood development (ECD) and professional teacher development remained the bedrock of an inclusive education system.

“Investing in teachers and the foundations of learning is not only an investment in education, but in the future of our society, economy, and nation,” Walters said.

Western Cape education MEC David Maynier echoed the call for practical solutions, warning that systemic reform required focus.

“We need to get early learning right, so that children have a solid foundation upon which they can build their school career. And we need to get teacher development right, so that our teachers are able to adapt to the changing context of our education system,” he said.

He highlighted the Western Cape’s progress in school infrastructure, innovation and learning recovery since the Covid-19 pandemic, while acknowledging the twin constraints of budget limitations and growing learner numbers.

The second session of the indaba zeroed in on ECD, with a series of presentations underscoring the sector’s importance.

Social worker and ECD activist Riedewhaan Allie stressed the urgency of reaching unserved communities, particularly where poverty and violence undermined children’s potential. He called for non-centre-based approaches that supporedt both children and caregivers.

The Learning Initiative director Ingrid Ahlert showcased the success in screening over 14,900 children for developmental delays, demonstrating how early intervention improved outcomes.

University of the Western Cape lecturer Kaylianne Aploon-Zokufa argued for greater investment in the ECD workforce, many of whom entered the sector as volunteers.

“Practitioners are at the frontline of shaping children’s futures. They need training, resources and recognition because their work changes communities as well as classrooms,” she said.

Throughout the day, speakers returned to the indaba’s guiding principles of solidarity, equality and sustainability.

The ministry as well as speakers maintained that putting children first was both the moral responsibility and the strategic imperative of all stakeholders, as this would secure growth, equality and opportunity for generations to come.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Democratic Alliance has called for an urgent, province-wide audit of school kitchens in the Eastern Cape following 160 learners falling ill after eating a meal provided under the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) at Gobizizwe Agricultural High School in Mthatha.

DA education spokesperson Horatio Hendriks led an oversight inspection at the school on Monday. He was accompanied by DA agriculture spokesperson Heinrich Muller, OR Tambo constituency leader Mlindi Nhanha and Phesheya Kwenciba constituency leader Fezeka Mbiko.

They met parents, teachers and officials during a school briefing session.

“The fear and frustration expressed at the venue were palpable. Families want simple answers to urgent questions. They want to know that tomorrow’s meal will be safe, that their children will be protected, and that the system will not fail them again,” Hendriks said in a statement.

The DA will table a motion in the provincial legislature on Thursday, demanding a comprehensive audit of all school kitchen infrastructure and facilities.

It said the review must include compliance with municipal health and safety by-laws, clear timelines for completion, public reporting of findings and a detailed action plan to fix non-compliant facilities.

The call comes amid growing alarm among parents after the outbreak, which saw children rushed to hospitals. They had diarrhoea, abdominal pain, dizziness and seizures, and many were vomiting.

According to the provincial health department, 169 cases were recorded between 12 and 15 August.

Most learners became ill on Wednesday, 13 August, shortly after eating a meal of rice and tinned fish, although a separate internal health department report noted that another school meal during the same week containing samp, chicken, carrots, beetroot and gravy was also consumed by affected pupils.

Emergency medical services, the SA Police Services, OR Tambo Disaster Management and environmental health practitioners responded to the incident, transporting learners to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha General Hospital and the Ngangelizwe Community Health Centre.

Of the 131 initially hospitalised, 128 were discharged within 24 hours, while three remained under observation.

Although environmental health inspectors found the school kitchen and serving areas in “acceptable condition” at the time of inspection, samples of the food and environmental surfaces were collected for laboratory analysis. Results are still pending.

Hendriks said the lack of immediate, transparent communication left families anxious and forced to speculate.

“These facts underscore the need for rapid, transparent testing and public reporting so that parents are not left in the dark,” he said.

The DA criticised the education department for what it described as “shifting the burden” onto under-resourced schools to upgrade kitchens using limited NSNP funds.

“The department must accept responsibility for providing safe, compliant and fit-for-purpose kitchen infrastructure at all qualifying schools. Where infrastructure is lacking, the department must budget, build and certify,” Hendriks said.

He added that if the outbreak was linked to food handling rather than external contamination, all school kitchen workers should immediately receive basic health and safety training as well as appropriate personal protective equipment.

Supplier and storage compliance also needed to be verified across the district, with any non-compliant providers suspended.

The DA called for improved protocols in the aftermath of such incidents to ensure adequate specimen collection.

During the oversight visit, the party donated stationery to support the academic needs of Gobizizwe learners.

Meanwhile, the provincial health department has urged patience as investigations continue.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Science, Technology and Innovation Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina has highlighted the need to showcase women’s contributions to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), despite the ongoing underrepresentation of women at senior and strategic levels in the sectors.

Delivering the keynote address during the 7th Annual Women in Science Symposium at the University of Pretoria (UP), Gina recognised the event as both a celebration and a call to action for systemic transformation.

“As we look toward the future, let us expand our definition of success in science. It is not only about the accolades or the statistics, it is about building a culture and a legacy that enables every young girl—regardless of where she is born or the circumstances she faces—to see herself as a scientist, an innovator, a leader,” Gina said.

The deputy minister welcomed government initiatives such as mentorship networks, women-led research funding and the South African Women in Science Awards as part of efforts to shift the landscape.

However, she cautioned that the struggles of gender equity remained a reality that transcends statistics.

“Representation must go beyond numbers. It must be measured by agency, the power to influence decision making, set research agendas and mentor the next generation,” she said.

Opening the symposium, UP’s director for Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships, Dr. Rakeshnie Ramoutar-Priesch, underscored the urgent need to bridge the gender gap in STEM.

“While we celebrate progress this Women’s Month, we must also confront the reality. True equality means more than participation, it means women leading innovation across every scientific discipline,” she said.

The symposium’s second session, “unpacking STEM careers”, showcased how women were shaping diverse scientific fields.

Head of Corporate Affairs at L’Oreal South Africa, Thandi Kunene, revealed the science behind beauty, from artificial intelligence to sustainable chemistry.

“Women still make up less than 30% of the global STEM workforce. Being bold, building visibility and telling the stories of women in science are key to breaking barriers. At L’Oreal, we don’t just hire scientists, we empower science-led innovators,” Kunene said.

She urged learners to see opportunities not only in labs but also in industries ranging from green technologies to digital science.

Representing students, UP SRC president Vhutshilo Muambadzi cautioned against “representation without transformation.”

“Let us stop asking if women belong in science. Let us start asking how science can better serve women and society,” she declared.

In a session focused on early exposure to STEM, UP’s Sci-Enza Outreach Programme manager Puleng Tsie highlighted the need to reach young girls with hands-on science experiences.

“When girls see women scientists who look like them, when they touch, build and experiment, science becomes part of their normal. It becomes theirs,” Tsie said.

This sentiment was echoed by panellists including Hafsa Essop from the university’s radiography department, TuksSport High School head girl Thato Semono and Universities South Africa CEO Phethiwe Matutu.

They spoke about overcoming self-doubt, navigating male-dominated classrooms and the importance of safe spaces where young women are encouraged to “dream boldly and fail forward”.

UP Vice-Principal for Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education Sunil Maharaj noted that 57% of the university’s academics were women, with women also holding 50% of its prestigious South African Research Council’s research chairs.

“My heartfelt wish is that in the near future we can dispense with terms like ‘male-dominated world’ as a never-to-be-repeated anachronism,” Maharaj said.

As proceedings closed, Gina stressed that gender equity in STEM would not occur by accident, but must be designed, championed and sustained.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Gauteng education department is finalising the appointment of an independent investigative law firm to probe the death of a Grade 3 learner from Alberview Primary School in Alberton, Ekurhuleni.

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane has expressed his condolences to the boy’s family, the Alberview school community and all who knew him, emphasising the need for an independent probe to uncover the truth.

“In our pursuit of ensuring the safety and well-being of our learners across all schools, we expect this investigation to provide detailed facts around this incident. We are hopeful that it will uncover the facts behind the learner’s passing, ensuring accountability,” Chiloane said.

The MEC stressed that the safety of children in schools was non-negotiable and that any negligence, if found, would be dealt with decisively.

According to preliminary reports, the learner was allegedly injured while playing with friends on the school field during break.

Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital by paramedics, he was declared dead.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that an independent law firm would be mandated to investigate all circumstances surrounding the incident.

He explained that the investigation would go beyond internal departmental processes to ensure transparency and accountability.

“Once the law firm is onboard, the family and other stakeholders will be formally engaged for introductions and to outline the terms of reference,” he added.

The department’s psycho-social support unit has been deployed to the school to provide counselling and trauma support for learners, staff and affected families.

While no exact deadline has been announced, the department has indicated that findings will be shared with the family first before being made public.

It called for patience as the investigation process unfolds.

INSIDE POLITICS

By Jennifer L. Steele

For the past half-century, the jobs that have commanded the greatest earnings have increasingly concentrated on knowledge work, especially in science and technology.

Now with the spread of generative artificial intelligence, that may no longer be true. Employers are beginning to report their intent to replace certain white-collar jobs with AI. This raises questions over whether the economy will need as many creative and analytic workers, such as computer programmers, or support as many entry-level knowledge economy jobs.

This shift matters not just for workers but for K-12 teachers, who are accustomed to preparing students for white-collar work. Families, too, are concerned about the skills their children will need in an economy infused with generative AI.

As a professor of education policy who has studied AI’s effect on jobs and a former K-12 teacher, I think the answer for teachers and families lies in understanding what AI cannot – and perhaps will not – be able to do.

Prior waves of automation replaced routine and manual jobs, boosting the earnings advantage of cognitively demanding work. But generative AI is different. It excels at pattern-matching in ways that allow it to simulate human coding, writing, drawing and data analysis, leaving the lower rungs of these occupations vulnerable to automation.

On the other hand, because its output mimics patterns in existing data, generative AI has a harder time handling complicated reasoning tasks, much less complex problems whose answers depend on many unknowns. Moreover, it has no understanding of how humans think and feel.

This means that the “soft skills” – attributes that allow people to interact well with others and to be attuned their own emotional states – are likely to be ascendant. That’s because they are integral to solving complex problems and working with people. Though soft skills such as conscientiousness and agreeableness are considered to be personality traits, research suggests these are emotional tools that can be taught.

Teaching emotional awareness

The good news is that soft skills can be taught in tandem with traditional subjects such as math and reading – those areas for which teachers are held accountable – using techniques teachers already know.

For example, teachers often ask students to submit “exit tickets” as they depart the classroom at the end of a lesson. These are brief, written reflections or questions about the concepts students just learned.

Exit tickets can also be used to help students burnish their emotional and social skills along with their academic learning. In practice, teachers can give prompts that focus on moments of intellectual bravery, emotional regulation or interpersonal understanding, such as:

Write about a time when you helped someone today.

Tell me about someone who was kind to you today. How were they kind?

Describe a time this week when you learned something that seemed very hard. How did you do it?

The point of the task is not just to boost students’ mood or engagement, though these are great byproducts. The goal is to help students realize that their emotional responses to external circumstances fall within their control. Enhanced awareness of their own emotions predicts children’s ability to manage frustration, to perceive and anticipate the emotions of others and to work smoothly with other people. All of these are vital workplace skills that will likely become more valuable with the rise of generative AI.

Teaching problem-solving

Teachers can also have students practice solving messy problems whose answers are not known. For example, as elementary students learn to calculate perimeters, areas or volumes, they can work in groups to find the measurements of objects around the school, including large or oddly shaped items. Teachers can prompt students to reflect not just on the correctness of their answers but on how they framed and approached each problem.

Real-world problem-solving, also known as authentic assessment, can be taught in any discipline, with examples that include:

Testing the soil slopes and moisture levels on school grounds and proposing landscaping solutions.

Creating and pilot-testing video campaigns for social causes.

Reimagining how history might have played out if leaders had made different choices, and considering policy implications for today.

Teaching children to unpack complexity helps them understand the difference between seeking textbook answers versus testing possibilities when the best option is unknown. Solving novel, complex problems will continue to befuddle AI, not only because there are many steps and unknowns, but also because AI lacks our spatial and emotional understanding of the world. Even in the long term, countless variables that humans instinctively grasp will be difficult for computers to intuit.

Protecting slow learning

The technology complaint I hear most often from teachers is that students are having generative AI do their work for them. This happens not because students are deceptive or evil but because humans are self-regulating creatures. We take shortcuts on tasks that seem dull or too daunting in order to prioritize tasks that feel more rewarding.

But when students are building new skills, delegating work to AI is a huge mistake. By making slow things fast, AI undermines learning, because effort is needed to learn hard things.

For this reason, I think teachers must protect the classroom as a place where basic skills are learned slowly, alongside other students. For many lessons, this will mean harking back to the days before computers, in which students wrote assignments by hand or presented their work orally, learning to anticipate and respond to different viewpoints. If students are permitted to use digital automation tools, they should be prompted to reflect on how they used them, what they learned from them and which skills they weren’t able to practice – such as spelling, long division or bibliography formatting – when they delegated work to the tool.

The soft skill to rule them all

The truth is no one knows exactly what will happen to workers in an AI-enabled economy. People disagree about the skills AI will complement or replace. But the skills that underpin modern technology, such as math and reading, will likely continue to matter, as will the intra- and interpersonal skills that make us distinctly human.

Perhaps the most important skill schools can teach children today is the self-awareness to prioritize learning over shortcuts, and to refrain from delegating work to machines until they know how to do it themselves. It will also become even more important to be able to work with others in order to unpack hard problems.

An AI-enabled society will not be a society in which complex problems simply disappear. Even as the labor market reorders itself, I believe opportunities will abound for those who can work well with others to tackle the great challenges that lie ahead.

Jennifer L. Steele is a Professor of Education at American University.

The Conversation

By Thapelo Molefe

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called for a deliberate and practical partnership between the government, universities and communities to transform the education system in the Free State.

She said global priorities must connect directly to local classrooms.

Speaking at the G20 Free State Indaba, Gwarube said South Africa’s presidency of the G20 in 2025 came with a commitment to take the G20 to the people, ensuring that policies shaped internationally reflected the realities of learners and teachers across the country.

“This is about ensuring that global debates on education are not abstract, but connected to the classrooms in Thaba Nchu, the early childhood centres in QwaQwa, the high schools of Bloemfontein and the rural schools stretching across the province,” she said.

Gwarube outlined key priorities aligned with G20 education goals, including improving foundational literacy and numeracy, strengthening teacher professional development in the face of technological and environmental change, and expanding early childhood development (ECD) access.

She stressed that while high-performing countries like Finland and Singapore offered lessons, South Africa needed its own approach rooted in local realities and aimed at transformation.

The minister proposed six key focus areas for the Free State, starting with aligning policies between the national department, the provincial education department and local universities to ensure a coordinated approach to teacher training and education priorities. 

She also called for the creation of professional learning communities that linked subject advisers with academics to share best practices and strengthen the bridge between theory and classroom reality. 

Addressing the challenge of teacher shortages, particularly in rural areas, Gwarube emphasised the need to match teacher supply with demand. 

She further highlighted the importance of strengthening teaching practice placements for student teachers to give them relevant exposure, as well as smoothing the transition from university to classrooms through aligned induction programmes. 

Lastly, she urged for joint monitoring, evaluation and research to inform evidence-based reforms tailored to the province’s specific needs.

“If we commit to these actions, we will align teacher education with national and provincial priorities, close the gaps between oversupply in some subjects and shortages in others, and treat teacher development as a lifelong journey,” Gwarube said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) teams in the Eastern Cape rushed to Gobizizwe Agricultural School in Ngqeleni on Wednesday after a suspected mass food poisoning incident left about 70 learners requiring urgent medical attention.

According to Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Siyanda Manana the alarm was raised earlier in the day when learners began showing symptoms consistent with food poisoning, including nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dizziness.

“About 70 school children were taken to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Mthatha Regional Hospital and Ngangelizwe Community Health Centre. Those in serious condition were airlifted to hospital,” he said.

Manana confirmed that the learners were stabilised on-site, with several placed on intravenous drips before being transported to hospital.

The cause of the suspected food poisoning has not yet been confirmed.

The department has assured parents and the community that all affected learners were receiving treatment and that no fatalities were reported.

Officials have urged parents to remain calm while investigations continue.

The provincial education department is also involved in the probe, and counselling services are expected to be provided to the affected learners.

Authorities have indicated that an update will be issued once the investigation yields results.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has committed to decisive, phased interventions for the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system over the next four years, acknowledging persistent structural weaknesses.

Addressing reporters in Pretoria, Manamela outlined a plan to reform the system, saying the past 19 days of nationwide consultations with students, educators, unions, institutions and employers had revealed both deep frustration and high expectations for change.

“We will reimagine and reengineer our Post-School Education and Training system for a changing world. We will fix what is broken. We will strengthen what works. And we will build what is missing. We do this because South Africa deserves a system that delivers skills, knowledge and opportunity for all – and because our future depends on it.,” Manamela stated.

His vision is anchored on six objectives: creating a unified system, expanding equitable access, aligning skills with economic needs, improving quality, strengthening governance, and ensuring sustainability.

These objectives will be driven by five strategic pillars.

Economic renewal and jobs will ensure that graduates are employable and institutions align with growth sectors, while a green just transition will position skills development to support climate resilience and low-carbon innovation.

Public sector capacity must be increased to deliver services effectively, the country’s intellectual sovereignty will be strengthened through research and innovation, and no community must be left behind.

The minister detailed a three-phase timeline.

Within three months, the department wishes to stabilise the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and initiate a sustainable student funding model; establish the PSET Reengineering Task Team; and realign and tighten oversight of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Additionally, the department is launching three flagship projects: “Skills to Work Transitions” connecting unemployed youth to training and jobs; “Career Choices” guiding learners from early school years into suitable career pathways; and “Literacy for Empowerment” targeting four million functionally illiterate adults.

Within 12 months, Manamela said the department would pilot autonomous college and new CET (Community Education and Training) models; launch TVET curriculum pilots in emerging industries; establish a national PSET database; roll out the National Senior Certificate for Adults as an alternative school-leaver pathway; and complete legislative reviews and accelerate campus infrastructure upgrades.

Within four years, the department plans on fully implementing the sustainable funding model, consolidating SETA and CET reform, driving system-wide digital learning, institutionalising lifelong learning pathways, and expanding research capacity and global partnerships.

Video by Kgalalelo Setlhare Mogapi.

Manamela stressed the need to rebalance the system, which he said was “heavy at university level and quite lean when it comes to TVET and community colleges”.

He announced plans to invest in short-term, work-oriented programmes such as automotive spray painting, bricklaying and energy transition skills, ensuring young South Africans were first in line for green economy jobs.

The minister acknowledged “fundamental challenges” at NSFAS, including governance instability, corruption allegations and delayed allowance payments.

While 800,000 students have received allowances, others remain unpaid due to administrative backlogs.

Manamela warned that without reform, the current funding model risked collapse.

“We must relook at the current student funding model, identify priority skills and mobilise resources from SETAs and the National Skills Fund,” he said.

NSFAS board leadership is reviewing vacancies, including the CEO position, with the aim of appointing competent candidates to stabilise operations.

Responding to questions about SETA board appointments, Manamela said nominations for chairpersons have closed and the department was assessing candidates’ skills and capacity.

Additional member nominations were reopened to accommodate applicants without master’s or PhD qualifications, especially from labour and community sectors.

On recent grade tampering allegations at the University of Cape Town, Manamela confirmed that the institution had requested the department to lead an investigation. He commended the university over its willingness to cooperate fully and commit to accountability.

Manamela emphasised that the government could not reform the sector alone, calling for a “broad national compact for skills and knowledge” involving students, staff, business, labour, civil society and communities.

This compact would be formalised at a Higher Education National Convention in 2026 to set the sector’s long-term direction.

The department will hold a detailed briefing in September on preparations for the 2026 academic year, including NSFAS reforms, institutional readiness and funding priorities.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has stressed the urgent need for a stronger, more deliberate partnership between her department and higher education institutions (HEIs).

Speaking during the G20 Education Seminar under the theme “From Dialogue to Implementation” at Unisa in Pretoria on Tuesday, Gwarube explored practical strategies for strengthening South Africa’s teacher education system while aligning with global G20 priorities.

“The Department of Basic Education invests heavily in curriculum innovation, teacher development and systemic reform. But for too long, our efforts have run alongside each other, not in full alignment. That must change. We need a shared stewardship of the education system, where the DBE and universities operate not in parallel, but in true partnership. Where accountability is reciprocal and leadership is collective,” Gwarube said.

She identified six strategic areas for collaboration between the department and HEIs. They include policy alignment and responsiveness, professional learning communities, teacher supply and demand planning, strengthening work-integrated learning, seamless induction and continuous professional development, and joint monitoring, evaluation and research.

The minister said the proposals could improve outcomes by aligning teacher preparation with systemic needs, bridging the gap between theory and practice, ensuring equitable teacher distribution and embedding continuous learning in teaching careers.

She underscored that the G20’s call for transformative leadership must be met with practical commitments rather than rhetoric.

“This conference must not be remembered for eloquent speeches, but for the partnerships it forges and the commitments it inspires. If we do this right, the ripple effects will be felt not just in Unisa’s lecture halls, but in every classroom in South Africa and far beyond,” Gwarube urged.

She stressed that foundational learning was a moral imperative and that teachers must be prepared to address challenges posed by artificial intelligence, climate change, migration and economic uncertainty.

Basic Education Deputy Minister Makgabo Reginah Mhaule reflected on South Africa’s historic role as 2025 G20 president and chair of the Education Working Group.

“It’s an honour and a strategic imperative to address you today, not simply as deputy minister, but as a teacher and an alumna of this university. In 2025, we will lead with clarity, courage and conviction, advancing three priorities: quality foundational learning, mutual recognition of qualifications and educational professional development for a changing world,” she said.

Mhaule said basic education must produce learners who met higher education’s expectations, warning against systemic misalignment.

Welcoming delegates, Unisa principal and Vice-Chancellor Puleng LenkaBula described the seminar as a platform for meaningful dialogue and collective responsibility.

“As South Africa prepares to host G20 activities, we are called to amplify the voice of the Global South. Investment in teacher development and early learning infrastructure is not only a national priority, but a global necessity. Empowerment is realised in classrooms, communities and the lives of learners and educators” she stated.

Gwarube praised Unisa’s leadership in teacher education, noting its reach across the continent and its pivotal role in producing educators across all phases from early childhood to postgraduate studies.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Dr Mandi Joubert

Looking back on my academic journey, I feel deeply privileged to have pursued a doctorate and two master’s degrees while working full-time. The sleepless nights juggling family obligations, deadlines, assignments and professional responsibilities, often while self-funding my studies, taught me resilience.

But they also revealed the very real barriers that can derail even the most determined students. Barriers many are unable to overcome without support.

Today, as Head of Academics at Eduvos, I see the transformative power of removing those barriers. The current state of South Africa’s higher education landscape requires an urgent focus on ensuring that it truly serves all who seek to better themselves and their communities.

The barriers that leave students behind

South Africa’s higher education crisis is well documented, but the human cost of exclusion remains stark. Our research highlights several interconnected barriers systematically excluding capable students from accessing quality education.

Capacity constraints in public institutions create the first hurdle. With demand far exceeding supply, thousands of qualified applicants are turned away each year. Even securing a place doesn’t guarantee success. Affordability remains a crushing reality for many families. Beyond tuition, the hidden costs of textbooks, accommodation and lost income often force students to abandon their studies.

Perhaps most concerning is the academic preparedness gap. Many students arrive at tertiary institutions without the foundational skills needed for success. Traditional one-size-fits-all approaches fail these learners, who often drop out not from lack of ability, but from lack of appropriate support.

Innovating for inclusion

Addressing these realities requires a reimagining of higher education that centres on student outcomes and recognises today’s students don’t fit yesterday’s moulds.

Alternative academic pathways such as access programmes, bridging courses and higher certificates ensure a Grade 12 certificate without a Bachelor’s pass isn’t the end of one’s academic journey. Students at different life stages benefit from different learning modalities, which allow them to earn an income while studying, and eases the financial pressures that derail many promising careers.

Eduvos’ 12 campuses across major metros allow students to study closer to home, reducing relocation costs and maintaining family support networks. Multiple intake periods throughout the year also acknowledge that life happens, enabling students to start their studies when it suits them, or to temporarily defer their studies without significantly impacting their progression.

But access without support is meaningless. A proactive student support model, which includes a dedicated student affairs advisor to a manageable number of students (280 students per advisor at Eduvos), helps monitor attendance, academic performance and wellbeing. These advisors are supplemented by a comprehensive student support ecosystem. When early warning signs emerge, such as poor attendance, low engagement or academic under-performance, immediate intervention follows. This data-driven approach to pastoral care ensures no one slips through the cracks.

Preparing students for tomorrow’s world

Career-aligned qualifications must do more than teach current skills. They must prepare students for jobs that don’t yet exist. Building and maintaining strong industry partnerships keep curricula relevant while developing the soft skills (agility, creativity, communication) that define employability in an evolving economy.

Eduvos combines career academics with industry practitioners, bringing real-world expertise into the classroom. Assessment methods use case studies and project-based scenarios to mirror workplace challenges, while work-integrated learning ensures graduates leave with practical experience, not just theoretical knowledge.

Crucially, instilling a culture of lifelong learning is paramount. In a world where career longevity depends on continuous upskilling, graduates must understand education doesn’t end at graduation, t evolves with their careers.

Public and private collaboration is key

The scale of South Africa’s higher education challenges demands collaboration. With youth unemployment at 46.1%, we cannot afford institutional silos or ideological divisions between public and private providers.

Private institutions contribute significantly to graduate outputs, yet we’re often excluded from national forums and policy discussions—a missed opportunity. We have capacity where public institutions are constrained, innovative delivery methods where traditional approaches fall short, and industry partnerships that could benefit the entire sector.

The solution isn’t competition between public and private institutions; it’s collaboration. By combining the scale and mandate of public institutions with the agility and innovation of private providers, we could create a higher education ecosystem that truly serves all South Africans.

The multiplying effect of education

What gives me hope is education’s exponential impact. Every graduate represents not just individual achievement but community transformation. First-generation graduates often become the foundation for generational change, with their success rippling through families and communities.

Africa’s rising youth population offers unprecedented opportunity, only if we equip young people with relevant skills and meaningful opportunities. The window for harnessing this potential is narrow, making inclusive, accessible higher education not just a social imperative but an economic necessity.

Counting everyone

Development succeeds only when it includes everyone. In South Africa, this means recognising there is no single path to success. Some students need evening classes to accommodate work schedules. Others require academic bridging to overcome historical disadvantages. Many need flexible payment options or intensive support systems.

The traditional higher education model serves a shrinking minority of students. If we’re serious about leaving no one behind, we must embrace models that meet students where they are—not where we think they should be.

As someone who had to work full-time to fund my studies, I understand the obstacles our students face. But I also understand their determination. By removing barriers, providing support, and creating multiple pathways to success, we do more than change individual lives—we transform communities and, ultimately, our nation.

The question isn’t whether we can afford to invest in inclusive higher education. It’s whether we can afford not to. In a world where knowledge drives prosperity, ensuring no one is left behind is not just a moral imperative. It’s economic survival.

Dr Mandi Joubert is Executive Head of Academics at Eduvos.

INSIDE EDUCATION