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She highlighted the importance of recognising the unique vulnerabilities of boys and dismantling outdated gender norms that pressure boys to suppress emotion.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

By Levy Masiteng

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande and KwaZulu-Natal education MEC Sipho Hlomuka joined forces on Tuesday to help learners decide on their futures at a career day.

The event at the Lembede Mathematics, Science and Technology Academy in Pinetown comes at a crucial time as the government turns it focus more than ever at getting people into STEM-related careers.

The public school, which started in 2021, focuses on developing the potential of learners in gateway subjects like maths and science. It has 355 students enrolled for this year.

Hlomuka emphasised the importance of education in shaping the future of young people. 

“We are grateful to the organisers of this this important event which seeks to help our learners to choose the most fulfilling career path.

“We cannot overstate the importance of career guidance and we must all make it our responsibility to ensure that this critical knowledge is imparted to all learners early so that they can make the right academic choices,” he told the event.

The MEC highlighted the vast career opportunities available in fields like IT, cybersecurity, healthcare and renewable energy, encouraging learners to explore these fields.

It featured science-related exhibitions by the Science, Technology and Innovation Department, higher education institutions and innovation companies. 

Nzimande also shared insights on the role of science and technology in driving innovation and economic growth.

The day provided learners with a platform to engage with professionals in various fields and gain valuable insights into potential career paths. 

Hlomuka said the academy, named after the revolutionary academic and founding president of the African National Congress Youth League, Anton Lembede, was living up to its namesake’s legacy.

He said the school’s philosophy was rooted in Lembede’s belief that education was key to breaking generational poverty and achieving African liberation and self-reliance.

“He was an educator and philosopher who came from a poor background and, therefore, he believed that it is through education that we can break generational poverty. That is why government decided to name the school after him,” Hlomuka said. 

KwaZulu-Natal was the second highest achiever in last year’s matric exams, and Hlomuka said the province would continue to improve and adapt the curriculum, develop world-class infrastructure and leverage technology to simulate laboratory environments.

In line with these efforts, two projects were on the horizon – the Maritime School of Excellence in the Umlazi district and the Mbuso Kubheka ICT, Engineering and Technology School of Excellence in Amajuba district.

They will open their doors next year.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s proclamation authorising a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into the long-troubled National Skills Fund (NSF).

This follows years of allegations of corruption, mismanagement and financial irregularities.

The SIU will investigate serious maladministration, improper conduct by NSF officials and potential mismanagement of billions of rands earmarked for youth and skills development programmes between January 2013 and March 2025.

The focus will include questionable procurement processes, irregular appointments of service providers and training projects linked to Parliament and recent media exposés.

“The NSF is a law-abiding entity under my department. It has a duty to comply with the laws of our country and thus will fully participate and make available all necessary information to the SIU, including information on internal investigations initiated by the fund and previous investigative reports,” Nkabane said in statement.

The move follows sustained criticism from Parliament, forensic audits and mounting public outrage over alleged misuse of public funds that were meant to combat South Africa’s deepening youth unemployment crisis.

The NSF has been at the centre of several corruption allegations in recent years.

A 2024 audit by Nexus Forensic Services revealed that R286 million in project funds remains unaccounted for, with funds often channeled to companies or cooperatives that failed to deliver promised training or services.

One notorious case involved a KwaZulu-Natal-based cooperative, Yikhonolakho Women and Youth Primary Cooperative, which received R123 million to run a rabbit farming project.

Only R1.6 million was spent on the intended purpose; the rest allegedly went toward purchasing a farm and a luxury Nissan Navara, with no visible evidence of a functioning rabbit farm when investigators visited the site.

In another scandal, R131 million meant for artisan training in the Eastern Cape disappeared without trace.

Despite an original project budget of R187 million, beneficiaries in areas like Bizana and Lusikisiki were left untrained, with no explanation for the vast shortfall.

A further R130 million designated for youth-owned SMME training through the Small Enterprise Development Agency reportedly failed to reach intended recipients.

Facilitators and trainees in the New Venture Creation Programme went unpaid, despite government contracts having already disbursed the funds.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education has repeatedly condemned the NSF’s dysfunction, especially its underspending of R3.7 billion in the previous financial year.

Committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie described the misappropriation of funds as “deeply troubling,” and questioned the lack of consequence management for officials implicated in wrongdoing.

In a briefing in February this year, Parliament criticised the absence of key NSF and department executives from oversight meetings and slammed the redeployment of implicated NSF staff to other directorates as a practice that undermines accountability.

The committee called on Ramaphosa to extend the SIU’s mandate and vowed to ensure transparency and accountability within the NSF.

Nkabane expressed hope that the SIU probe would lay the groundwork for a “new trajectory” at the NSF, which she emphasised played a vital role in addressing skills shortages and empowering the youth.

Despite its challenges, higher education maintained that the NSF remained a key national vehicle for funding training and development programmes, and that the SIU investigation could be a turning point in a saga marked by scandal, squandered opportunity and public betrayal.

HIGHER EDUCATION

By Thebe Mabanga

The provinces that have delivered education budget votes, as well as those that have delivered their provincial budgets, reflect the persistent disparities in education across the country.

Early childhood development and the funding of teacher posts are top priorities across most provinces, with schooling infrastructure and investment in improving outcomes also receiving priority.

Most provinces have not delivered their education budget vote, and these will be adjusted once the new budget is delivered next Wednesday.

The Western Cape delivered its budget vote in April. The education department received the largest share of the budget at R33.2 billion, which is a 5.9% increase compared to last year’s budget.

MEC David Maynier described the department’s priorities as improving learning outcomes, expanding access to education, creating secure school environments, supporting vulnerable learners and ensuring sustainability.

The most pressing of these appears to be expanding access to education as the Western Cape is the fastest growing province in the country due to inward migration.

Maynier said this year, the province received 116,000 applications. It has allocated R 2,8 billion for schooling infrastructure to improve access by building new classrooms and supporting the growth of independent schools.  

The province also has a highly successful programme called Back on Track, which has seen learner outcomes improve across a range of metrics. The programme received R322 million.

In Limpopo, the department of education was allocated R42.529 billion.

MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya described the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) as “the heartbeat of dignity and equity in Limpopo’s education system”.  With an allocation of R1.8 billion, the programme feeds 1.4 million (78%) learners out of 1, 8 million.

She notes that the Education Infrastructure Grant “is the cornerstone of Limpopo’s mission to dismantle the spatial and structural legacy of apartheid”, with an allocation of R1.567 billion.

Gauteng’s allocation reflects the province’s status as the country’s most prosperous and receives R69.6 billion, and cumulatively R211.2 billion over the next three years.

“This is to be directed to expand access to quality basic education and early childhood development and improved education outcomes for women, girl, youth and persons with disabilities.” according to finance MEC Lebogang Maile.

The province is to also have a once-off allocation of R207 million in 2025/26 for the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, targeting the teacher assistant programme in the department. The hiring of assistants has proven to be a significant employment creator across the board.

Maile also notes that in terms of education infrastructure, it is anticipated that 13,436 jobs will be created on infrastructure projects in the medium term.

The Free State’s budget partly explains why it is the best performing province on the national matric pass rate for the past few years.

The provincial department received an additional amount of R93 million through the Performance Based Incentive System programme, which is managed by the National Treasury.

The incentive is for provinces that deliver infrastructure efficiently from planning to execution.

The province is further allocated R68.8 million for the implementation of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, specifically for the employment of the teacher assistants in the current financial year.

Overall, the education department is allocated R18.8 billion in 2025/26, and R59 billion over the next three years. Priorities include ECD, funding public schools, including special and independent schools, maths and science programmes and teacher development among others.

The combined health and education infrastructure budget for the province is R 59 billion.

Mpumalanga grapples with the reality that 83% of its schools are no fee schools, suggesting a disproportionately heavy reliance on the provincial fiscus. The education department also receives the largest share of the provincial budget at R28,8 billion.

The province allocates R 717,6 million to the e-learning programme from Grade 10 and R 1,8 billion over the medium term. School support over three years receives R 4,2 billion while teacher support receives R 1,1 billion.

The province allocated | R304.5 million over the MTEF is already in the baseline of the department for the construction of the School for the Deaf and Blind, while R103.4 million is added to the equitable share of the department for the recruitment of teacher assistants to support educators with various tasks in the classroom.

In the Eastern Cape, the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative plays a key job creation role. The programme is targeting to employ 6400 young people as educator assistants with a budget of R165.6 million in this financial year.

The province said it has been urged to employ more teachers. The education budget stands at R44.6 billion in 2025/26, or 49% of spending, and R138.8 billion over the next three years.

KwaZulu-Natal has seen its schooling infrastructure ravaged by floods in recent years and is acutely affected by the shortage of teaching posts. Its education department’s budget vote for 2025/26 is R62,9 billion, with 80% allocated to employee compensation.

The education infrastructure grant increases by R93 million to R2.5 billion. This also includes an incentive for the department to meet 84% of its infrastructure plans and delivery targets.

An additional R29.1 billion has been allocated to education towards addressing the budget pressures from the cuts of the last few years.  KZN, like most provinces, has received allocation to cover the higher wage settlement of 2025 as well as the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative, which will be used to employ 10,322 educator assistants in 2025/26 on a 12-month contract.

The National School Nutrition Programme, which attracted tender and funding controversy in recent years, received an increase of R33.3 million this financial year, to R2.3 billion.

Early Childhood Development grant increases by oR17.4 million to R308,6 million. This is to support the infrastructure component of this grant

The Northern Cape education department

“This is a significant allocation, and the department aims to address challenges like poor learning outcomes, access to education, secure school environments and supporting vulnerable learners,” the department said.

Lastly, the North West education budget stands at R1.9 billion, with allocations specifically for infrastructure and ECD as top priorities.

It is unclear what kind of impact the third national budget is going to have on the provincial education budgets, but many have pleaded for the sector, which has been facing austerity for the last 10 years, not to have to deal with further cuts.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

In a move to celebrate school sports and community pride, SuperSport Schools and Edgars have announced a new partnership designed to uplift young athletes, passionate fans and the families who support them.

The collaboration aims to deepen emotional connections with communities and place a spotlight on the transformative power of youth sports in South Africa.

SuperSport Schools, a platform renowned for broadcasting school-level sports and nurturing young talent, will now team up with Edgars, one of South Africa’s most iconic lifestyle retailers.

The partnership is set to amplify the joy and spirit of school sports by launching campaigns and initiatives that honour not only the athletes, but also the parents, supporters and educators who form the backbone of school sports culture.

Norman Drieselmann, CEO of Retailability (Edgars’ parent company), highlighted the natural alignment between the two brands.

“School sports are synonymous with families, and so is Edgars. This is not just an investment; it’s about being part of something that is growing and impacting communities in a powerful way.

“This is more than just a sponsorship, it’s a movement that celebrates the people who make school sports so special. We want to be there for every moment, from the first whistle to the final cheer,” Drieselmann said.

At the heart of the partnership is the launch of the My Moment campaign, an interactive social media initiative inviting fans, players and parents to share their most treasured sporting memories.

Whether it’s a game-winning goal, a team huddle or a proud family moment in the stands, users are encouraged to clip, edit, and post their highlights using the hashtag #MyEdgarsMoment.

By tagging SuperSport Schools and Edgars, participants will enter weekly draws to win exclusive prizes, including Edgars vouchers.

Beyond social media, the campaign will evolve to include additional community-driven events and recognitions, aiming to ensure inclusivity across the country’s diverse school sports landscape.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Buti Manamela

Tshilidzi Marwala, the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg, is now the Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) in Tokyo, Japan and a UN Under-Secretary-General.

In August 2023, he was appointed to the United Nations Scientific Advisory Council. A global scholar of artificial intelligence, Marwala is among South Africa’s most distinguished academic exports.

His international appointment is not only a personal honour—it is a reminder that our country has long been both a contributor to and a beneficiary of global academic exchange. The question now raised by some populist voices is: should he and others like him return home to make space for South Africans?

That, essentially, is the dangerous logic behind the latest xenophobic campaign, dressed up as concern for South African jobs in academia.

This week, a Patriotic Alliance Member of Parliament, Ashley Sauls, accused universities of prioritising foreign nationals over South African academics, citing a single contested case at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and extrapolating it into an alarming generalisation.

Sauls’s confidence is matched only by his lack of understanding. He has taken one grievance and distorted it into a narrative that undermines both institutional integrity and our country’s international standing.

Let’s be clear: South African universities are not flooded with foreign staff.

They are struggling—still—to become truly representative of our demographics, values and developmental priorities. But foreign nationals are not the obstacle. The real crisis lies in our failure to invest in and grow a new generation of black South African academics.

According to the Ministerial Task Team (MTT) Report on the Recruitment, Retention and Progression of Black South African Academics, South Africans make up 88.4% of the academic staff in our universities. Foreign nationals—who often bring scarce expertise or participate in global research collaborations—constitute only 11.2% of the total academic cohort.

More importantly, many of those international academics are black Africans, whose presence in South African lecture halls should be a source of solidarity, not suspicion.

The MTT Report identified the real barriers to transformation as:

• A shrinking and unequal postgraduate pipeline, especially in STEM and health sciences.

• Exclusionary institutional cultures that marginalise black scholars, particularly women.

• Poor working conditions and heavy teaching loads, leaving little room for research or advancement.

• Fragmented policy and funding support for initiatives like nGAP (New Generation of Academics Programme) , which are critical to building black academic excellence.

These are the bottlenecks. Not fellow scholars from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya.

In fact, many senior South African academics and vice-chancellors have benefitted from international exposure—studying or working in the US, UK, Germany, China, Brazil and across the continent. Are we now to punish those whose careers were sharpened abroad? Or suggest that they have no right to shape the institutions they now lead?

It is precisely through international engagement that we sharpen our intellectual tools. South Africa collaborated with global institutions to develop and trial Covid-19 vaccines that saved millions of lives—right here, led by African scientists and researchers. That is what international collaboration looks like: not replacement, but empowerment.

To suggest otherwise is to play directly into xenophobic populism, with dangerous consequences. The last time this rhetoric escalated, lives were lost. Shops were burned. Migrants were hunted. South Africa’s reputation took a beating on the global stage.

The PA MP may be right to raise a grievance about an individual hiring case at a university—but to generalise it into an anti-foreigner campaign is reckless and disingenuous. It’s not transformation. It’s opportunism.

Let’s be honest: if transformation was truly the concern, then Sauls would be championing postgraduate funding, fixing NSFAS bottlenecks, defending nGAP and holding universities accountable for succession planning. Instead, what we get is easy scapegoats and political posturing.

What we need is not louder voices—but better ones. Let’s cherish the black academics we can attract, from both South Africa and the continent, and build a system that grows more like them—with rigorous support, mentorship, and public investment.

Let us fix the real problems: underfunding, institutional inertia, the lack of coherence in building academic careers. But let us not turn fellow scholars into enemies. In the battle for transformation, our best allies are those who believe in justice, equity and the power of shared knowledge.

We don’t build a better academy by building walls. We build it by growing our own—while learning with, and from, the world.

Buti Manamela is the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training.

INSIDE EDUCATION