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By Thapelo Molefe
Too many learners are exiting South Africa’s education system without the foundational skills or clear routes into further education, employment, or entrepreneurship, Inside Education Foundation chairperson Matuma Letsoalo said as the National Education Summit 2026 got under way in Sandton on Monday.
Letsoalo said the focus must now shift beyond access to improving the quality and outcomes of education.
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“Access alone is not enough. We must now turn our attention to quality, relevance and outcomes of our education system,” Letsoalo said.
Held under the theme “Fixing the Education Pipeline from early childhood to transformative level,” the summit will tackle persistent challenges across the sector.
Letsoalo warned that many learners are still leaving the system without the skills needed to succeed.
“Too many learners are not acquiring the foundational skills required to succeed. Too many young people exit the system without clear pathways into further education, employment or entrepreneurship,” he said.
He added that South Africa’s evolving economy is placing new demands on the education system.
“At the same time, our economy is evolving, demanding new skills, new ways of thinking and greater adaptability,” Letsoalo said.
Among those attending the summit are Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela, LGSETA Administrator Zukile Mvalo and College of Cape Town Administrator Robert Nkuna.
The summit brings together stakeholders from government, education, business and civil society to focus on strengthening early childhood development, advancing entrepreneurship education and repositioning vocational and technical pathways.
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“Our objective today is simple: to move from conversation to collaboration and from collaboration to action,” Letsoalo said.
The one-day gathering is expected to produce practical proposals aimed at improving education outcomes and better aligning the system with the needs of the economy.