Gwarube Calls for Collective Leadership to Transform SA Education System

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has called for a new era of collective leadership, shared accountability, and stronger partnerships across government, universities, and communities to accelerate the transformation of South Africa’s education system.

Speaking at the Western Cape G20 Provincial Education Indaba on Monday, hosted at the Century City Conference Centre, Gwarube stressed that the future of education depends on breaking silos and building genuine collaboration across sectors.

“Our challenge and our opportunity lie in partnerships. For too long, government, universities, and communities have worked alongside each other but not always in full alignment. That must change. We need shared stewardship of the education system, one where accountability is reciprocal and leadership is collective.”

Linking Global Agendas to Local Realities

The Indaba was convened under the themes: “Quality Foundational Learning – with emphasis on Early Childhood Development (ECD)” and “Educational Professional Development for a Changing World.”

It forms part of South Africa’s commitment, as the current G20 President, to “take the G20 to the people” by connecting international debates to local realities.

“This is not a slogan, it is a commitment to ensuring that the ideas, policies, and priorities we shape globally are informed by the lived realities of our people,” said Gwarube.

She noted that the Western Cape Indaba was a direct response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call for greater public involvement in G20 deliberations, particularly around the Education Working Group agenda ahead of the 2025 summit.

Western Cape’s Role

The Minister commended the Western Cape for both its economic and educational contributions, highlighting its creation of 69 000 new jobs and its position as the province with the lowest unemployment rate nationally.

“The Western Cape has also contributed to our country’s educational story. This is a province renowned for its innovation, diversity, and excellence,” she said.

She stressed that the Indaba was about practical solutions, not abstract discussion:

“We are not here to speak in generalities. This dialogue must connect global priorities to the realities of early childhood centres in George, high schools in Cape Town, and rural schools in the Karoo and the West Coast.”

Priorities for Reform

Minister Gwarube identified two central G20 education priorities—Quality Foundational Learning and Professional Development for a Changing World—as critical to strengthening South Africa’s system.

Drawing inspiration from global best practices, she cited Finland, where all teachers hold master’s degrees, and Singapore, where universities and government collaborate closely. But she cautioned against “copying and pasting,” saying:

“We must design a South African, and indeed a Western Cape model, rooted in our realities, enriched by global best practice, and driven by our vision for injecting excellence into our education system.”

Six Areas for Collaboration

Gwarube proposed six key areas for collaboration between government, universities, and communities:

1. Policy Alignment and Responsiveness – ensuring training programmes match evolving national priorities such as ECD, literacy, numeracy, and bilingual education.

2. Professional Learning Communities – creating platforms for dialogue between subject advisers and academics.

3. Teacher Supply and Demand Planning – addressing shortages in rural areas and high-demand subjects like maths and science.

4. Strengthening Work-Integrated Learning – ensuring student teachers gain practical experience in schools with proper mentorship.

5. Seamless Induction and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) – aligning induction with university training to make teacher development a lifelong journey.

6. Joint Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research – combining government data with academic expertise to drive evidence-based reforms.

If implemented, these actions would align teacher education with national priorities, balance oversupply and shortages across subjects, and establish CPD frameworks that are both rigorous and practical.

Call for Tangible Outcomes

The Minister urged delegates to go beyond rhetoric and ensure the Indaba leads to concrete outcomes.

“This Indaba must not be remembered for speeches alone, but for the partnerships it builds and the commitments it inspires. Let us strengthen the dual responsibility for education between the Department of Basic Education, the Western Cape Provincial Education Department, our universities, and our communities.”

Education as a Shared Responsibility

Gwarube concluded by reminding stakeholders that South Africa’s future prosperity depends on how well its education system is reformed and supported.

“As custodians of knowledge, let us meet this moment with rigour, creativity, and a refusal to accept mediocrity. The ripple effects of our work here today will be felt not only in this province’s lecture halls and staffrooms, but in every classroom across South Africa and far beyond our borders.”