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Basic Education

latest news & developments
World Quality Day can be used for special projects such as ­cleaning classrooms or ­reaching out to poorer schools.

Foundation Phase catalogue approved — but are all the materials legally cleared for procurement?

The Council of Education Ministers has endorsed the new R1.6 billion Foundation Phase catalogue, yet lingering publisher deficiencies and legal compliance questions continue to…

Concerned: As top students celebrated their matric results this week, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, below, highlighted structural
challenges facing the system. Photo: Department of Basic Education

Stagnating matric maths pass rate a sobering reality

The declining rate reflects deep-rooted challenges that begin in the early school grades

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announces the 2025 matric results. Photo: Department of Basic Education X account

KwaZulu-Natal tops 2025 matric results with 90.6% pass rate

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the notion that 30% constituted a pass mark was political sloganism

The increase in learners is exacerbated by people relocating to Gauteng, and private-public partnerships are required to address overcrowding.
File photo

Gauteng needs 200 more schools, says education MEC Chiloane

During the 2023-24 financial year, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape only built one school each

With youth month around the corner, education support networks have raised the alarm on the persistent underperformance and marginalisation of boys in the education system. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Calls grow to address marginalisation of boys in education system

In 2022, the out-of-school rate was 10.54% for boys, compared with 8.17% for girls

Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube. (X)

DA says it wants matric pass mark ‘incrementally’ increased to 50%

It’s detractors say the party has accepted the 30% pass because it is enjoying the benefits of the government of national unity

President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo by Nic BOTHMA / POOL / AFP)

Bela Act agreement does not undermine president’s powers, says presidency

The deliberations on clauses 4 and 5 have been extended by a further three months

Equal Education has criticised last week’s medium term budget policy statement for what it said was a failure to provide adequate funding to the education sector. (Madelene Cronje)

Equal Education says mid-term budget will entrench inequality

The advocacy group said despite highlighting infrastructure as one of its main pillars, the policy statement offered little in terms of commitments to fixing school…

Equal Education has criticised last week’s medium term budget policy statement for what it said was a failure to provide adequate funding to the education sector

Education department will hire temps to fill 31 000 teacher vacancies

The Centre for Development and Enterprise has estimated that South Africa will need 456,000 teachers by 2025 for the country to offer quality education

Basic education minister, Angie Motshekga. Photo supplied

Matric class of 2023 bags 82.9% pass rate

The class of 2023 has obtained the second-highest results in the history of the NSC, according to the basic education department

Over the years, the government has emphasised the narrative that our education system is improving based on the annual matric pass rates.
(Deaan Vivier/Gallo Images/Beeld)

Class of 2022 records 80.1% pass rate

Second highest rate in history of the National Senior Certificate exams and all provinces saw an improvement, with none scoring below 70%

Graphic: John McCann

South Africa must bridge digital divide to best benefit from 4IR

Most of SA’s youth will be left behind without investment in technology and infrastructure to support online learning from basic education up

Give the youth the budget they deserve so they can prosper and grow

Funding, collaboration and innovation can improve the skills and prospects of young South Africans

David Harrison

Basic education sector marred by a lack of political will

Despite a number of laws being in place to ensure education is equal and accessible not all children enjoy this right

Former model C schools need to employ more Black teachers

Having Black teachers in the classrooms of what are commonly still considered ‘white schools’ would not only be beneficial to Black learners, but to learners of all races