While education authorities celebrate the 87.3% pass rate for 2024, only 50% of pupils made it from grade 1 to grade 12.
I recently had a bizarre day in which in the morning, I spoke to the education minister and in the evening, I saw members of the small business ministry. Even though one might think the conversations would be different, they were remarkably similar. We talked about education and the shortage of skills in the current and future workforce, and how this could be addressed to help grow our sluggish economy.
Despite the increasing number of learners that enter the school system, the department of basic education managed to construct only one new school in the country in 2024. The government acknowledges that it is battling to meet the educational needs of learners. Overcrowded classrooms, pit latrines, budget cuts and a shortage of teachers and resources are but some of the problems. In the Western Cape, it is estimated that 6 000 learners will not have been able to secure a place in school in 2025.
This comes as the results of the most recent 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study were released. South Africa’s learners finished last. Reflecting on these results, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said: “The results are holding up a mirror for us as a country to take a long hard look at ourselves and come face-to-face with the cold hard truth that our educational outcomes are deeply uneven.”
What I see in that mirror, is that the majority of South Africa’s children are not being prepared for a future that is changing rapidly every day. “While technical skills are often present, there is a notable deficit in foundational, cognitive and soft skills, which are necessary for effective performance in the modern workplace. This deficiency not only hampers individual productivity, but also stifles innovation and economic growth at national level,” confirms Olebogeng Selebi, deputy director: Centre for the Future of Work at the University of Pretoria.
He talks about the influence of technology and the need for new jobs around digital technology, which also require digital literacy and cybersecurity. He says the shift to remote work and digital platforms has highlighted the inadequacies in the current education and training systems. This has resulted in a widened skills gap, particularly affecting low-skilled workers and those in the informal sector. Industries like renewable energy and digital technology are expanding but there is a critical shortage of qualified workers for these industries.
This is why we need to step up the drive to find funders and donors to support school initiatives that are addressing these skills shortages.
At Christel House South Africa, for instance, learners from disadvantaged backgrounds are exposed to a holistic, career readiness and character development model that has produced good results. The school has achieved a 94.9% matric pass rate for 2024. In addition, 97% of the school’s alumni are either employed, studying further or undergoing training — a testament to its ability to prepare learners for success. Most graduates progress to higher education or full-time employment, and the school’s long waiting list speaks volumes about the demand for its proven model. This is why it has decided to build a second high school at its premises in Ottery, Cape Town.
For many in South Africa, it is hard to comprehend the battles that these children face daily. As one learner from a gang-afflicted area on the Cape Flats said, “I would often come to school after hours and over weekends, just to sit in the library because I felt safe, and it was quiet, and I could focus.”
We need more investments in schools like these. We know the funds are there. In 2023, companies spent about R11.8 billion on corporate social investment. While this is a significant amount, the reality is that there is much more private capital that companies are sitting on. This is usually directed towards investments targeting profitability and higher returns on investment.
But what greater return on investment can there be than to hear a young person who had no hope of a future, develop into a person eager to change the world? Like Safia Khan, who was left at an orphanage in Benoni at the age of seven. But thanks to teachers who spotted her potential and encouraged her to work hard, she was able to secure a scholarship to study at the University of Cape Town, where she now lectures at the School of Economics and works towards her PhD.
Learners such as Safia are South Africa’s future. We need to reach more young people like her and we need help to do this. The private sector must step up its investment to support the education of our learners and initiatives that work. South Africa needs to invest in quality schools and educators who have proven they know how to realise the potential of children.
Ian Russell is the chairperson of Christel House. He has published two bestselling leadership books, the proceeds of which are donated to Christel House.