By Charmaine Ndlela

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has warned municipalities that schools disconnected over unpaid electricity bills must be reconnected immediately or the provincial government will consider legal action.

Speaking during a media briefing on Monday following the conclusion of the Gauteng government’s “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” outreach programme, Maile described the disconnection of schools as “reckless” and “irresponsible”, saying municipalities should not treat schools as easy targets for revenue collection.

“We are warning the municipalities for the last time today, whatever school that is disconnected must be connected immediately,” Maile said.

“If they don’t do that, we are going to explore our legal options because you can’t disconnect schools.”

Maile said the department provides schools with funding to pay for water and electricity, but acknowledged that the money available to individual schools is limited.

He said the department was considering centralising the payment function and taking it back from schools, while also exploring a public-private partnership model and the possibility of taking schools off the electricity grid.

The MEC said some schools had complained about being overcharged by municipalities, while others had struggled to obtain electricity meters.

“The department doesn’t have the money. The money that is there is with the schools. And even that money with the schools is limited,” he said.

The issue forms part of a broader crisis around municipal services affecting schools.

The province’s post-consultative report found that communities repeatedly raised concerns about unreliable water supplies, electricity interruptions, poor roads, illegal dumping and other municipal failures affecting learning environments.

School safety

School safety also emerged as a major concern during the briefing, with Maile revealing that the department is reviewing its seven-pillar school safety strategy while intensifying search-and-seizure operations.

The department said it had already conducted raids, including at Badirile Secondary School in Carletonville and schools in Orange Farm.

Maile said the operations would continue through both announced and unannounced raids as the province attempts to curb weapons, drugs, crime and violence in schools.

“We are very concerned about crime and violence in schools,” he said.

The department said it is spending R165 million on the deployment of school patrollers and is working with the Department of Community Safety on traffic wardens, while relying on the South African Police Service to respond to criminal activity.

But Maile said the education department could not afford to divert money from teaching and learning to fund extensive security deployments.

“We’ve got schools that are not having desks, that are not having chairs. Shortages of Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM), shortages of educators. Whatever money we have, we have to prioritise those,” he said.

The province’s outreach findings reinforced the seriousness of the problem, with communities consistently raising concerns about crime, violence, bullying, gangsterism, substance abuse, vandalism, weapons and gender-based violence.

Gauteng is also considering a technology-driven overhaul of school security.

About 600 schools have already had cameras installed, but the department wants surveillance cameras eventually installed in all schools.

The long-term plan includes biometric or facial-recognition access for learners and educators, cameras covering classrooms and school perimeters, tighter access control and armed-response systems linked to police stations.

Maile pointed to an incident in Alexandra in which criminals allegedly entered a school despite the presence of an unarmed guard as evidence of weaknesses in the current system.

He said the department was considering implementing the measures through a public-private partnership model.

“These are big ideas that we’re working on, but these are the issues which will require money,” Maile said.

The province’s broader school-safety strategy is based on the understanding that security cannot be addressed by schools alone.

Its post-consultative report calls for stronger partnerships between schools, SAPS, municipalities, parents, communities and other stakeholders.

R27bn infrastructure backlog

While security remains an immediate concern, Maile said the province’s biggest challenge is the scale of its infrastructure needs.

The department estimates that R27 billion is required to address occupational health and safety concerns across its school buildings.

Another R35 billion is needed to build 200 additional schools.

“We need R27 billion to deal with occupational health and safety. We need R35 billion to build more schools. So, we need money, and that’s the problem,” Maile said.

The MEC said the department was prioritising schools facing emergencies, particularly those that are no longer habitable, while searching for alternative ways of raising funding.

The infrastructure pressure is compounded by shortages of desks and chairs, with Maile warning that learners in some schools are even fighting over limited furniture.

He said schools receive funding for maintenance, with about 12% allocated towards infrastructure maintenance.

The provincial outreach programme similarly identified overcrowding, classroom shortages, delayed maintenance and deteriorating infrastructure as recurring concerns across communities.

Gauteng also faces a major backlog in sports infrastructure.

Responding to concerns about deteriorating sporting facilities at schools, Maile said the province would need R600 million to provide sports facilities at every school.

“We need R600 million to ensure that there is sports facility in every school. R600 million. So, we don’t have it,” he said.

Admissions and overcrowding

The growing pressure on Gauteng’s schools is also reflected in online admissions.

At the time of the briefing, approximately 451,000 applications had already been recorded, including 105,786 Grade 8 applications and 93,864 Grade 1 applications.

Maile said the increasing number of learners would require not only additional schools and furniture, but also more teachers.

But he was unequivocal that overcrowding at a preferred school should never result in a child being left without education.

“If a school you want is full, over-subscribed, it doesn’t mean the child must stay at home,” he said.

“No child must stay at home. Every child must be in a school.”

Maile said the department would rather place a learner in a school further from home and address the resulting pressure on resources than allow that learner to remain outside the education system.

“Every child must be in class. Every child must be in schools,” he said.

The province’s post-consultative report identifies overcrowding and learner placement as major challenges driven partly by Gauteng’s population growth and migration into the province.

To help address the infrastructure backlog, Maile announced that Gauteng would soon launch an “Adopt a School” campaign aimed at mobilising businesses and other partners to assist schools.

He said he had already been approached by potential partners, including an individual prepared to assist about 15 schools in Katlehong.

The campaign will prioritise urgent needs such as ablution facilities, classrooms and damaged ceilings.

Maile said the initiative would allow government to work with partners to tackle infrastructure challenges that the provincial budget cannot address on its own.

Skills and education pathways

Maile also outlined plans to expand a multi-certification programme that could allow learners to obtain practical qualifications while still at school.

He said the department wants learners to have opportunities to obtain certificates in areas such as plumbing, electrical work and swimming alongside their academic studies.

The aim is to move beyond certificates that have little value in the labour market towards accredited qualifications that could provide learners with employment opportunities even if they do not complete matric.

“If that child was not to finish matric, they could still go get work and all that,” Maile said.

The department is also focusing on STEM subjects, including mathematics, science, technology and accounting, while strengthening teaching in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) and foundation phases.

Maile said the province was also expanding opportunities in arts, culture and sport for learners who may not follow traditional academic pathways.

Outreach programme

Launched in May 2026, the “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” programme aimed to create direct engagement between government, communities and education stakeholders.

Between May and July, provincial departments planned 127 engagements and institutional visits and completed 90.

These included 41 community meetings, 25 unannounced school visits and 24 sports hub visits, reaching 11,294 people through direct engagements.

The programme’s educational communication platforms generated more than 10.2 million views and impressions and more than 90,000 direct online interactions.

Maile urged communities to help protect schools from vandalism and criminality, called on parents to remain actively involved in their children’s education, and encouraged businesses to contribute to education and skills development.

He also urged young people to reject violence, drugs and gangsterism.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

The Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation has warned learners against making fires on school premises in an attempt to keep warm, as cold and wet weather conditions continued to sweep through Gauteng on Tuesday.

Lebogang Maile said that open fires posed a serious safety risk and could result in burns, structural fires, damage to school infrastructure, and potentially life-threatening incidents.

He also urged parents, guardians, educators, and school communities to take necessary precautions against the cold conditions.

The Gauteng Department of Education said some of the coldest conditions this week were expected across Johannesburg and surrounding areas, including Soweto, Roodepoort, Randburg, and other parts of the West Rand.

The department said cold conditions were also expected across Ekurhuleni and Tshwane, while parts of Sedibeng and the Vaal were expected to experience cool to cold conditions.

It said rain, cloud cover and wind could make temperatures feel considerably colder in affected areas.

It said it would continue monitoring South African Weather Service (SAWS) information and urged school communities to similarly pay attention to official weather updates.

Maile told parents and guardians to ensure that learners were appropriately dressed before leaving home for school.

“Schools must exercise reasonable consideration where learners need additional warm clothing because of the weather. Our priority is to keep learners safe, warm, and in the classroom,” he added.

He said that the cold weather should not unnecessarily interrupt teaching and learning.

He said that learners who are healthy and not sick are encouraged to attend school as normal, unless the department or relevant authorities officially communicate otherwise.

“Cold weather on its own should not keep our children away from school,” he said.

“As long as learners are not sick and it is safe for them to travel, we encourage them to dress warmly and attend school. Every school day and every hour of teaching and learning matters.”

“Learners must never start fires in classrooms, toilets, corridors, school grounds, or anywhere within school premises,” he said.

“Principals, educators, and School Governing Bodies must remain vigilant and ensure that learners keep warm through safe and responsible means.”

He also said parents and learners were urged to exercise additional caution while travelling to and from school, particularly during rainfall, reduced visibility, slippery roads or other hazardous conditions.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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Approximately three-quarters of 393 preschool and K-12 teachers in the U.S. say they use YouTube for instructional purposes, with roughly half using it on a daily or weekly basis, according to our new nationally representative survey.

Those findings come from our new research, published in June 2026 in Educational Researcher, an academic journal.

Our sample included teachers from all grade levels and subject areas, and from across public, charter and private schools.

Our results revealed that teachers who said they use YouTube as an instructional tool do so for a considerable amount of classroom time, alongside other common teaching methods like lectures and group work.

Of the 76.5% of respondents who said they use YouTube for teaching, an average of 17.9% of their total yearly instructional time was spent showing instructional videos, ranging from 1% to 100% of instructional time.

Rather than allowing students to watch videos on their own devices, most teachers reported showing videos on a big screen to the entire class. This might include showing a classic 20-minute episode of “Bill Nye the Science Guy” or a 5-minute “PragerU Kids” video, made by a conservative media nonprofit.

Respondents said they use both of those video sources, alongside a number of other content creators featured on YouTube.

In our other study, which is still under review with an academic journal, we saw some small differences in teachers’ use of YouTube across grade levels – with pre-K teachers reporting being slightly less inclined than other teachers to use instructional videos to support their teaching.

But these differences were not statistically significant, suggesting that YouTube is used more or less at the same frequency by pre-K through 12th grade teachers.

Why it matters

There is growing concern among parents about the amount of time their children spend watching YouTube at school, leading some school districts to ban the platform on student devices outright.

While the debate over screen time has primarily focused on students’ personal use, there has been less focus on how teachers are using the platform as part of their lessons.

YouTube is not specifically designed for educational purposes, and its algorithm that recommends content tends to prioritize increasing user watch time over providing material that may be best for learning.

There are some teacher-trusted educational channels hosted on YouTube, such as “Khan Academy” and “Crash Course.” which offer a host of explanatory videos on numerous subjects ranging from math to social studies.

But just about anyone can create and upload content to YouTube.

Prior research indicates that teachers are relying more on digital online resources found on sites like Teachers Pay Teachers and Pinterest than they once did. This work suggests that traditional curricular resources, such as textbooks, are playing a less prominent role determining what information is presented to students.

Our research suggests that pre-K through 12th grade teachers widely use YouTube as a staple of classroom instruction – not as an occasional supplement.

What still isn’t known

While research from Spain and Australia suggests that educators are not always rigorous in screening the YouTube videos they use for teaching, what is still unknown is the exact YouTube videos and content creators that teachers are relying on when they present information to students.

Nor do we know the impact that using instructional videos has on student learning. Given the widespread adoption of YouTube videos by K-12 and preschool teachers, it is becoming increasingly critical to understand the educational value that these video resources offer.

THE CONVERSATION

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Early childhood is an important stage when children develop curiosity, values and problem-solving skills. This developmental window provides a strong foundation for lifelong learning, making it an ideal entry point for introducing key concepts such as environmental stewardship, cultural identity and social responsibility.

That is the idea behind ReneWable Rangers, a learning game prototype that uses play, storytelling and adventure to teach young children about science and renewable energy.

The game contributes to the ongoing conversation about developing educational approaches that are equitable, locally relevant and globally conscious. 

Moleboheng Mokhele, an innovative early childhood STEM education researcher, unpacks the findings of her co-authored conceptual paper on how ReneWable Rangers can serve as a model for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education.

Why focus on play-based learning?

Global challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion, force a rethink of how to prepare the next generation. These issues are not far away from children’s lives.

Education holds a responsibility. Early childhood – from birth to 8 years old – is a stage where children develop values and problem-solving skills. It is marked by rapid cognitive growth, heightened curiosity, and an increasing awareness of the world around them.

However, much of STEM learning in South Africa, particularly science, is introduced as a standalone subject only in Grade 4. This delay misses early developmental windows for critical thinking. It creates a gap between what children learn at school and what they experience at home and in their communities.

My research focuses on how early STEM education can be made more meaningful, engaging and inclusive for children. Children learn best when they are having fun, asking questions, and actively taking part in what they are learning.

That is the idea behind Renewable Rangers, an educational game that uses play, storytelling, guided inquiry, physical activity and visual learning to help young children learn about science and renewable energy in a fun, meaningful and age-appropriate way.

What is ReneWable Rangers and what are its objectives?

In many cases, STEM education remains focused mainly on technical skills and academic achievement. As a result it does not fully prepare children for the environmental, cultural and ethical challenges they will face in life.

Our conceptual paper responds to this gap. The play-based educational initiative aims to show how playful, inclusive and culturally meaningful learning can better prepare children to understand global challenges, value their local contexts, and see themselves as active agents of change for a more sustainable future.

The game follows me, Dr Mummy Ranger, and my two sons, Wavhudi and Rivhavhudi, as we travel across South Africa on a mission to help restore electricity in the country after a nationwide blackout. We journey in our eco-friendly Ranger vehicle, bringing hope to communities and inspiring children to become young renewable energy heroes.

Since 2007, South Africa has experienced ongoing electricity shortages stemming from inadequate generation capacity, ageing infrastructure and poor maintenance. Although nationwide load shedding has decreased in recent years, many communities still experience localised power outages caused by network problems.

As the characters move from one province to another, they learn about different renewable energy sources found in each region, such as solar and wind power. They also explore the diverse cultures, languages and ways of life in each province. Each province becomes a meaningful learning space where STEM concepts are connected to real-life experiences in a fun and engaging way.

Along the way, children learn:

• how electricity is made
• what causes power cuts
• how we can use renewable energy sources

This is achieved through stories and hands-on activities. Rather than simply teaching children facts, the game allows them to explore ideas through experience.

The game also places strong emphasis on identity and culture by creating stories and characters that children can recognise. The characters help children see themselves in the story.

ReneWable Rangers is more than a game. It’s an invitation to rethink what children are capable of and what kind of future we want to prepare them for.

What the game looks and feels like

At this stage, ReneWable Rangers is a carefully designed prototype. It combines cultural responsiveness, sustainability, self-directed learning and play-based pedagogy into one integrated learning experience.

Unlike many educational games that import foreign models and try to localise them after the fact, ReneWable Rangers was designed from the ground up with South African learners in mind. It does not treat cultural relevance or learner voice as add-ons: these are central to the experience.

That said, strong conceptual design must be followed by careful empirical validation. The next step is to take ReneWable Rangers into real classrooms, observe how learners engage with it, and measure its impact on their understanding, confidence and curiosity.

THE CONVERSATION

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By Marcus Moloko

The Eastern Cape Department of Education has confirmed that 123 schools will be closed in the coming financial year due to dwindling learner numbers, with an additional 300 schools earmarked for closure in the coming years.

The move, already being implemented in some facilities, is part of a broader rationalisation plan to merge under-enrolled schools and redirect resources more effectively.

Eastern Cape Department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima explained that the closures are driven by shrinking enrolments, which directly affect the allocation of teachers and resources.

“The unviable schools are schools that have got lesser numbers leading to lesser resources. We resource based on learner numbers. Once learner numbers are dwindling, we will not have enough educators, and there’s not going to be enough resources,” Mtima said.

He acknowledged that rural communities would be most affected by the closures, but stressed that the department is working with other government entities to mitigate the impact.

“The rural areas will be impacted. The department has looked into the rationalisation with other officials, including those from the Department of Transport and the Department of Education. These will ensure that schools are merged and transport is provided accordingly,” Mtima said.

The department insists that the closures are necessary to ensure sustainable education delivery in the province.

Mtima said that the initiative is not a unilateral decision but a coordinated effort across government.

“This is a joint effort or venture that the department would look into,” he said.

The Eastern Cape has long struggled with resource constraints and infrastructure challenges in its education system.

Officials argue that consolidating schools will allow for better use of limited resources, while ensuring that learners are transported safely to merged institutions.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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By Levy Masiteng 

The Gauteng Department of Education recorded 22,020 child abuse, learner protection and related cases across its reporting, counselling and investigation systems between 2023 and 2026.

The figures were disclosed by Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile in a written reply to questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature about mechanisms available to learners to report abuse and access support services.

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According to the department, 18,843 cases were recorded through its 24-hour helpline, 3,022 by the Learner Psycho-Social Support Directorate’s clinical counselling service and 155 were reported to the Special Investigations Directorate (SID).

“The total number of child abuse cases reported over the past ten years is not available. However, a total of 22 020 cases were reported during the period 2023 to 2026,” Maile said in his written response.

The figures cover a range of learner safety, protection and wellbeing concerns within and beyond the school environment.

The department’s records include physical, emotional and sexual abuse, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, neglect, bullying, gangsterism, discrimination, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health-related cases.

Among cases recorded by the Learner Psycho-Social Support Directorate’s clinical counselling service were 695 rape cases, 423 sexual assault cases, 74 sexual harassment cases, 398 domestic violence cases, 369 neglect cases, 256 emotional abuse cases and 179 physical abuse cases.

The 24-hour helpline recorded 3,960 emotional abuse cases, 2,006 physical abuse cases, 1,995 deliberate physical neglect cases, 1,936 deliberate emotional neglect cases, 681 harassment cases, 665 involving exposure to domestic violence, 571 involving child starvation, 376 sexual assault or abuse cases and 344 rape cases.

The SID received 155 cases over the reporting period, including 15 corporal punishment cases, seven cases involving educator bullying of learners, two cases of learner assault by educators, three cases of sexual abuse involving educators and four involving principals.

Its caseload also included allegations involving racism, discrimination, gangsterism, learner fights and other serious misconduct.

“The Gauteng Department of Education has established multiple formal mechanisms to enable learners to report incidents of abuse and to access appropriate psycho-social and protective services,” Maile said.

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He said 118 social workers had been deployed to schools through a partnership with the Gauteng Department of Social Development to intervene in abuse and child protection cases.

“All schools have established School-Based Support Teams, which serve as the first point of receipt and management of reported cases. Cases received by School-Based Support Teams are referred, where appropriate, to social workers and District-Based Support Teams for further intervention and support,” Maile said.

The department said turnaround times varied according to the complexity of matters and the availability and willingness of witnesses.

The Democratic Alliance said the absence of a standard measure of investigation times made it difficult to assess whether cases were being handled promptly.

DA Gauteng education spokesperson Sergio Isa Dos Santos said the figures highlighted the scale of learner protection concerns in the province and called for stronger case-monitoring systems.

“The department’s failure to provide the average turnaround time for investigations is concerning. This lack of transparency makes it impossible to assess whether allegations of child abuse are being investigated or whether vulnerable learners are receiving the protection they deserve,” he said.

Dos Santos said the party would write to Maile requesting the introduction of a centralised case-tracking system with enforceable investigation deadlines.

“Every parent deserves to know that no matter which school their child attends, reports of abuse will be tracked properly, investigated timeously, and escalated to relevant authorities,” he said.

He said a DA-led Gauteng government would introduce a learner protection system under which every abuse report would receive a reference number and be tracked from start to finish, while urgent cases would be referred to the South African Police Service, social workers and psychologists.

The party also wants stronger vetting of educators and staff and regular training on learner protection.

Maile said learners could already make reports anonymously through toll-free and confidential channels used by the department and its partner organisations.

“Anonymous reporting systems are currently available to learners through the existing toll-free and confidential reporting platforms utilised by the Department and its partner organisations,” Maile said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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By Levy Masiteng 

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has published three sets of draft regulations and a related draft notice under the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act for public comment as government continues implementing the legislation.

The public has 30 days to submit comments, with the consultation period closing on 5 September at 23:59.

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The four implementation instruments deal with the election and functioning of School Governing Bodies (SGBs), additional remuneration for certain state employees, minimum standards for teacher development facilities, and the National Education Information System.

The first instrument, the draft Notice Relating to the Election of Members of Governing Bodies, proposes a common national framework for SGB elections.

It provides for three possible voting methods: a traditional election meeting, voting throughout a designated election day, or secure electronic voting where a school has the necessary capacity and safeguards.

The second instrument, the Draft Regulations on the Prohibition of the Payment of Unauthorised Remuneration or the Giving of Other Financial Benefits or Benefits in Kind to Certain Employees, deals with circumstances in which an SGB seeks to compensate a state-employed educator or another qualifying state employee for genuine additional work.

The proposed regulations make clear that such payments may not be made informally or without oversight.

The third set of regulations proposes minimum norms and standards for Provincial Teacher Development Institutes and District Teacher Development Centres.

According to the department, the measures are intended to ensure teachers across the country have access to functional, safe and inclusive facilities for professional development.

ALSO READ: Parliament urges TVET colleges to strengthen industry links and tackle governance concerns

The fourth instrument, the Draft Regulations on the National Education Information System, proposes a national framework for collecting, verifying, storing, protecting and using education information.

The department said reliable information was essential for determining the number of learners and teachers in the system, identifying where classrooms, textbooks, educators and other resources were required, and tracking whether services were reaching schools and communities most in need.

“The BELA Act is law and its implementation is continuing. Our responsibility is to ensure that implementation is lawful, responsible and workable, and that the schools, governing bodies and education officials who must give effect to the law have clear and practical guidance,” Gwarube said.

“Public consultation is an important part of that process. These draft regulations and the related notice will support greater certainty and consistency across the sector, while giving the sector a meaningful opportunity to help improve the proposals before they are finalised.”

The department said that the consultation process does not pause the implementation of the BELA Act, which is already in force.

The Act amends the South African Schools Act of 1996 and the Employment of Educators Act of 1998.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the legislation into law on 13 September 2024 after years of parliamentary deliberation and public consultation.

The Act came into operation on 24 December 2024 after Ramaphosa proclaimed the date of publication of the commencement notice in the Government Gazette as the date on which the legislation would take effect.

Among its reforms, the Act makes Grade R attendance compulsory, changes provisions governing admissions and language policies at public schools, further regulates home education, strengthens governance and financial accountability requirements for SGBs, and makes changes affecting the management and conduct of educators.

The legislation also gives provincial heads of department greater authority in relation to learner admissions and allows them, under specified circumstances, to direct public schools to adopt more than one language of instruction. It also requires SGB members to disclose certain financial interests and further regulates additional remuneration paid to state employees by governing bodies.

Admissions and language provisions have been among the most contested parts of the legislation. When Ramaphosa signed the Act in September 2024, implementation of sections 4 and 5 — dealing with admissions and language — was initially delayed for three months to allow further discussions. The Presidency later confirmed that the Act was brought fully into force.

The department said the new instruments were intended to provide additional clarity, consistency and practical support in areas where schools, governing bodies and education departments must give effect to the amended law.

Gwarube encouraged parents, teachers, learners, SGBs, education organisations, unions, faith-based organisations, civil society groups and other interested parties to make submissions.

All comments received will be considered before the regulations are finalised, she said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

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By Levy Masiteng 

As South Africa marks Women’s Month, new data from tech education provider HyperionDev shows women are approaching parity in its student enrolment, even as they remain significantly underrepresented in technical jobs.

Women now make up 49% of HyperionDev’s student body, up from 33.7% in 2022, pointing to growing female participation in technology education.

“We’ve seen a steady increase in female participation over the past few years, and it reflects a positive trend towards greater gender diversity in technology education,” said Simone Botes, Director of Education Operations and Learning Impact at HyperionDev.

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However, HyperionDev said women still hold just 23% of technical roles in South Africa, or roughly 56,000 of the country’s 236,000 technology jobs.

According to the latest Commission for Employment Equity data cited by HyperionDev, women make up around 45% of employees in South Africa’s ICT sector, up from 39.5% three years earlier.

Their representation falls to roughly a quarter in core technical positions such as software engineering, infrastructure and cybersecurity.

HyperionDev also cited the 2024 IITPSA ICT Skills Survey, which found that just 13% of South Africa’s STEM graduates are women, compared with a global average of 35%.

This comes against the backdrop of an estimated shortage of more than 100,000 unfilled digital roles across software development, data and IT.

Botes said the challenges faced by female students were often linked to responsibilities outside their studies rather than their ability to learn.

“Where challenges arise for female students, they’re often related to external responsibilities rather than learning ability. Many are balancing careers, caregiving or family commitments alongside their studies.”

“We’ve intentionally designed our learning model – flexible online study, self-paced learning, live mentorship and dedicated student support – so that learners can fit their education around their lives without compromising on quality.”

HyperionDev reported that 88% of its graduates receive a job offer within six months and 86% successfully transition into technology careers, with graduates recording a median salary increase of 178%.

Botes said salary outcomes for male and female graduates were also closely aligned.

“In terms of salary outcomes, we’re pleased to see that they are highly comparable.”

“The average reported starting salary for female graduates is approximately 0.5% higher than for male graduates, indicating strong parity in employment outcomes.”

Dr Anjali Ramburn, Senior Vice President: Commercial at HyperionDev, said employers continued to have a business incentive to broaden the pool of women entering the sector.

“A few years ago, many companies had explicit diversity hiring targets. Today, some organisations have become less vocal about DEI, but the underlying business need hasn’t gone away,” she said.

“When employers look to hire more women in tech, I don’t think it’s about meeting quotas anymore. It’s about expanding an already constrained talent pool and asking: how do we reach capable people we’re currently missing?”

Ramburn said the biggest challenge was no longer simply attracting women into technology education, but ensuring that they were able to enter the workforce, remain in the sector and progress into leadership positions.

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“The most significant drop-offs occur during the transition into the first tech job, followed by retention and progression into leadership,” she said.

“The ‘leaky pipeline’ is most pronounced after women enter the workforce rather than at the point of education. It’s one thing to learn to code and land your first job, but it’s another to feel supported, continue growing, and eventually move into leadership. Too many women don’t have mentors, sponsors, or role models who’ve walked the path before them, and that can make the journey feel a lot harder than it needs to be.”

Ramburn said progress should ultimately be measured not only by the number of women entering technology education, but by how many remain in the industry and advance into senior roles.

“Success isn’t just about seeing more women enrol in coding programmes. It’s about seeing more women stay in tech, lead teams, build innovative solutions, and inspire the next generation. That’s when we’ll know we’ve really started to break down the barriers.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

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