Johannesburg: While South Africa has made good progress in expanding education access, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says government must now focus on improving the quality of the education that learners receive. ‘Learners must leave our schools with an education and a qualification that allows them to pursue higher education opportunities or enter the job market in order to live lives of dignity,’ Gwarube said on Monday.
According to South African Government News Agency, addressing the announcement of the 2024 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results in Johannesburg, the Minister highlighted that many learners progress through the education system without mastering foundational skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy, which are crucial for performing well in gateway subjects like Mathematics and Physical Sciences. These deficits accumulate over time, limiting learners’ abilities to succeed in higher grades and diminishing their prospects of accessing further education and employment opportunities.
The Minister noted a decline in enrolments in essential subjects such as Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Accounting, and Economics, which are vital for national advancement in science, innovation, and economic development. In response, the Department of Basic Education will embark on an urgent strategic reorientation towards strengthening foundational learning.
Minister Gwarube emphasized the need for provinces, districts, and schools to implement plans to arrest the decline in enrolments in critical subjects. Systemic interventions will include expanding access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) for learners before entering the basic education system and improving teaching and learning quality in the Foundation Phase.
The strategic reorientation aims to improve learning outcomes from Grades R to 3 in the Foundation Phase, continuing through higher grades. This approach is expected to equip more learners with the confidence to succeed in subjects that set them on a path for personal and professional success.
The minister also outlined plans for universal access to quality ECD programs by 2030, including mass registration drives to formalize ECD programs aligned with the National Curriculum Framework. The department will prioritize the professional development of ECD practitioners and their integration into the education system, focusing on rural and underserved communities.
Support for teacher training will be intensified, with a strategic focus on improving literacy and numeracy in the Foundation Phase. The Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme will prioritize students pursuing a teaching career in this phase. Furthermore, the Post Provisioning Norms will be reviewed to ensure they align with the drive for universal access to quality Grade R education.
Minister Gwarube also announced plans to update the National Catalogue of Learning and Teaching Support Materials for the Foundation Phase by 2025. This update will enable Provincial Education Departments and public schools to purchase textbooks, learning materials, and equipment from an inclusive list approved by experts to meet national curriculum standards.
The Minister concluded by highlighting the importance of protecting teaching and learning time, ensuring teachers are present and teaching for the entire school day, across 230 days per year, to ensure adequate curriculum coverage. Gwarube announced that 615,429 learners passed the NSC, marking a historic achievement for the country. South Africa’s national pass rate for the 2024 NSC increased from 82.9% in 2023 to 87.3%.