Siviwe Gwarube Unveils Bold Reforms in Education Budget Vote 2025

 In a dynamic and reform-driven address to Parliament, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube presented her department’s Budget Vote 2025, unveiling a sweeping vision for inclusive, well-resourced, and learner-focused education in South Africa. At the heart of her speech was the announcement of a National Education and Training Council, an expert advisory body that will offer evidence-based recommendations on promotion criteria, teacher workload, and school resourcing.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has been allocated a record budget of over R35 billion, marking an 8% increase from the previous fiscal year. Minister Gwarube emphasized that the budget represents “targeted investments to close gaps and unlock every learner’s potential.”

Establishment of National Education and Training Council

Minister Gwarube announced plans to establish a National Education and Training Council (NETC) in the coming weeks. The NETC will comprise education researchers, policy experts, and practitioners, and will advise the Minister on critical systemic issues such as:

• Curriculum progression and promotion standards

• Reevaluation of pass marks in various subjects

• Teacher workload and performance metrics

• School infrastructure and resource distribution

“Whether the pass mark should be 30%, 40% or 50%, and in which subjects, must be subjected to well-researched processes. We owe our children responsible curriculum decisions,” she said.

Prioritizing Early Childhood Development (ECD)

With Early Childhood Development (ECD) being a cornerstone of the DBE’s 5-point strategy, the department allocated:

• R1.7 billion to the ECD Conditional Grant

• R230 million to an ECD Nutrition Pilot

• R162 million for ECD infrastructure upgrades

Minister Gwarube emphasized that every child must enter Grade R ready to learn, highlighting foundational literacy and numeracy as the department’s non-negotiable goals.

Curriculum Delivery and Learner Support

More than R4.6 billion has been earmarked for Curriculum Policy Support and Monitoring, enabling national oversight of curriculum standards, teacher support, and implementation.

Key allocations include:

• R1.2 billion for the Workbook Programme for Grades R–9, including Braille and adaptive formats

• R57 million for mother-tongue-based bilingual education, supporting learners taught in non-native languages

“Reading is non-negotiable,” declared the Minister, underlining the Foundation Phase as the decisive stage for equity and academic excellence.

Inclusivity in Education

The DBE will intensify efforts to build a barrier-free, inclusive education system, focusing on:

• Supporting full-service and special schools through the Inclusive Education Conditional Grant

• Monitoring provincial expenditure on assistive devices, learner transport, and teacher aides for learners with diverse needs

The Minister affirmed that inclusive education remains a central pillar of the department’s commitment to equity.

Investing in Teachers: Training, Recruitment, and Retention

Recognizing teachers as the most influential in-school resource, the department will invest R1.8 billion in teacher development, including:

• Mentorship and leadership training

• Diagnostic support from strengthened district teams

• Expansion of the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme to fund over 9,000 students, with a focus on priority subjects and rural deployments

“We must continue to support and professionalize teachers. They are key to our transformation journey,” Minister Gwarube stated.

School Infrastructure and Safety

A significant R15.3 billion has been allocated to the Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG) to:

• Eliminate pit latrines

• Expand classrooms

• Repair unsafe school buildings

The Minister reported that 97% of sanitation projects under the SAFE Initiative have been completed, and provincial partnerships are in place to finish the remaining projects swiftly.

Nutrition for Learning

Acknowledging the role of nutrition in academic success, the DBE has committed R10 billion to the School Nutrition Programme, benefiting over 9.7 million learners daily.

The department is currently reviewing provincial nutrition models to enhance:

• Delivery mechanisms

• Menu quality

• Local food sourcing

• Financial accountability

“We cannot afford to fail the nearly 10 million learners who rely on this meal every day,” the Minister stressed.

BELA Act Implementation in Motion

Minister Gwarube also provided updates on the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, which came into effect on 24 December 2024. The Act modernizes key provisions in the South African Schools Act of 1996 and the Employment of Educators Act of 1998, reflecting changing realities in the education system.

Steps taken include:

• Training provincial officials

• Publishing interim guidelines

• Drafting a suite of new regulations—the first two, on admissions and capacity, will be released for public comment in the coming weeks

A Vision Rooted in Equity, Excellence, and Accountability

Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s Budget Vote 2025 marks a bold and reform-oriented chapter in South Africa’s education journey. With sweeping investments in infrastructure, nutrition, inclusion, teacher development, and curriculum reform, the DBE under her leadership is positioning itself to deliver transformative outcomes across every level of the education system.

As she concluded, the Minister called on all stakeholders—teachers, parents, unions, provincial departments, and civil society—to collaborate in delivering a high-quality, inclusive education system that prepares South Africa’s children for a dynamic future.