Dell Technologies is bringing a fresh approach to the student laptop category with the launch of the new Dell 14S, a lightweight device designed for students and young adults who want style, portability and all-day battery life without paying premium laptop prices.

At a time when learners increasingly rely on laptops for everything from classroom assignments and online learning to content creation and entertainment, the Dell 14S reflects a broader industry shift: making everyday technology feel more personal while remaining practical and affordable.

Weighing just 1.15kg and housed in a slim 13.5mm aluminium chassis, the new laptop introduces four distinctive colour options, giving students more ways to express their individuality through the devices they use every day.

Technology That Reflects Personal Style

For years, student laptops have largely prioritised affordability over design, often resulting in devices that look and feel nearly identical.

Dell is attempting to change that.

The Dell 14S is available in four colours: Linen, Dusty Rose, Washed Denim and Velvet Green, offering a level of personal expression rarely seen in the mainstream student laptop segment.

The move reflects growing recognition that younger users view technology as an extension of their identity, much like smartphones, headphones and other everyday devices.

According to Dell, the 14S complements the company’s premium XPS portfolio by offering many high-end design elements at a more accessible price point.

Built for Long School Days

One of the standout features of the Dell 14S is its battery life.

The laptop delivers up to 21 hours of video streaming on a single charge, a capability designed to support full days of lectures, studying, project work and after-hours entertainment without constantly searching for a power socket.

The performance is powered by a high-density battery designed to provide longer runtimes while maintaining a lightweight form factor.

For students juggling classes, assignments, group projects and extracurricular activities, extended battery life remains one of the most valuable laptop features.

Designed for Learning, Creating and Multitasking

Beyond portability, the Dell 14S is built to handle the multitasking demands of modern education.

Students can choose between:

• A 2.8K 120Hz display for sharper visuals and smoother performance.

• A 2K 60Hz display for those prioritising battery life and value.

Both options feature a taller 16:10 aspect ratio, providing additional screen space for reading documents, working on assignments, conducting research and participating in virtual lessons.

Under the hood, the laptop is powered by Intel Core 5 and Core 7 Series 3 processors, enabling students to move between multiple tabs, applications and productivity tools with ease.

Supporting Connected Learning

As hybrid learning and virtual collaboration become increasingly common, connectivity features remain essential.

The Dell 14S includes:

• An FHD webcam for clearer video calls.

• Dual-array microphones for improved audio capture.

• Stereo speakers for online classes and multimedia.

• Wi-Fi 6E connectivity for faster wireless performance.

• Windows Hello biometric sign-in for secure access.

The device also includes modern connectivity options such as USB-C ports with power delivery, HDMI output and a traditional headphone jack.

Why It Matters for Education

The launch highlights a growing trend in educational technology: students no longer want to choose between affordability, performance and personal style.

Schools, universities and parents increasingly recognise that a laptop is not simply a learning tool. It is a student’s primary connection to coursework, collaboration, communication and creativity.

By combining premium design elements, long battery life and practical features in a more accessible package, Dell is targeting a generation of learners who expect technology to fit seamlessly into every aspect of their lives.

As education continues its digital transformation, devices like the Dell 14S suggest the future of student computing may be just as much about personal identity and user experience as it is about technical specifications.

“The Dell 14S expands that story for students and young adults who want a lightweight laptop they can carry all day, battery life they can depend on and a design that feels personal, at a price point that makes it accessible to more people,” said Konstantin Tuv, Head of Consumer and Gaming Products at Dell Technologies.

The Dell 14S is expected to become available across Europe, the Middle East and Africa later this year, with pricing to be announced closer to launch.

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Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, today continued the Department’s intensified school safety interventions through South African Police Service-led search and seizure operations, bringing the total number of schools searched across the province to 23.

On Wednesday, 2 September 2026, MEC Maile joined searches that were conducted at six schools, namely Sehopotso Secondary School and Botebo-Tsebo Secondary School in Sebokeng, Residentia Secondary School in Vanderbijlpark, Sapphire Secondary School in Bophelong, and Mahareng Secondary School and Lekoa Shandu Secondary School in Sharpeville.

The operations are aimed at removing drugs, dangerous weapons and other prohibited items from schools, while strengthening safety and discipline and creating secure environments for teaching and learning.

The latest operation resulted in the recovery of 123 prohibited items, including 43 disposable vapes, 29 pairs of scissors, four knives, 10 broken mirrors, five boxes of matches, 30 items containing oil spice, one mathematics instrument and one space cookie.

Speaking to the media during the operation at Sapphire Secondary School, MEC Maile said the findings highlight the importance of continued school safety interventions to identify and remove items that pose a risk to learners and educators.

“These operations are necessary because we cannot afford to allow our schools to become spaces where prohibited substances, dangerous objects and other harmful items are allowed to circulate. We must continue to act, but we must also understand that this responsibility does not rest with schools and government alone,” MEC Maile said.

MEC Maile further called on parents to play an active role in instilling discipline and responsible behaviour in their children, emphasising that safer schools require a collective effort from parents, schools, communities, law enforcement and government.

“Parents have a critical role to play in teaching children discipline, responsibility and respect. We must all take responsibility for creating an environment in which our children can learn, grow and thrive.

These operations form part of the Department’s broader interventions under the ‘It Takes A Village To Raise A Child’ programme, which recognises that learner safety, discipline and wellbeing are a shared societal responsibility,” MEC Maile said.

The operations will continue unannounced on a weekly basis across Gauteng, with multiple operations taking place simultaneously in different regions across the province.

The Department appreciates the continued partnership and support of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Gauteng Department of Community Safety and private security partners in these efforts to strengthen school safety and ensure that schools remain safe and conducive environments for teaching and learning.

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The School Engagement Project brought together seven high schools for its 2026 Sports Tournament, creating a platform for learners to compete, connect and develop through sport.

The tournament, held on 22 and 23 August 2026 at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard College Campus, featured learners from Sparks Estate Secondary School, Sastri College, Durban Girls’ Secondary School, Bechet High School, Hunt Road Secondary School, Dr JL Dube High School and Overport Secondary School.

Learners competed in soccer, netball and chess, showcasing their talent, determination, teamwork and sportsmanship. The tournament also provided an opportunity for learners to build confidence, develop their skills and form connections with peers from other schools.

Sparks Estate Secondary School emerged as winners in both the boys’ and girls’ soccer competitions. Sastri College claimed first place in the boys’ netball competition, while Overport Secondary School took top honours in the girls’ netball competition.

In chess, Hunt Road Secondary School secured first place in the boys’ competition, while Sastri College won the girls’ competition.

Sparks Estate Secondary School was also recognised with the Good Sportsmanship Award for demonstrating respect, teamwork and positive conduct throughout the tournament.

Ms Bérénice de La Croix, Project Manager of the School Engagement Project, thanked the project funders, Victor Daitz Foundation, IQRAA Trust and Albert Wessels Trust, as well as the sports coordinators, organising team and everyone who contributed to the success of the tournament.

She congratulated the learners for their participation and enthusiasm, highlighting the value of creating spaces where young people can enjoy sport while developing skills and values that extend beyond the playing field.

The tournament forms part of the School Engagement Project’s broader focus on strengthening relationships with schools and supporting learner development. Through initiatives such as the sports tournament, the project creates meaningful opportunities for engagement while building stronger connections between the University and surrounding communities.

The two-day tournament demonstrated how sport can create opportunities for young people to compete, connect and grow.

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In a fast-changing educational landscape, tutoring is shifting from a specialised intervention for struggling learners to a more mainstream personalised learning strategy. While it remains highly relevant for learners who have lost their confidence in a specific subject, fallen behind in class or who have acquired learning deficits, the appeal of tutoring has broadened.

Nick Miller, founder and CEO of Teach Me 2, has had a front-row seat to the decisions thousands of South African families make about education. Designed to help families find high-quality tutors, Teach Me 2 has grown from providing 4 400 lessons in its very first year to a record 115 000 lessons last year. More than 10 000 families are currently engaged on the platform, and South Africans have now spent over a million hours learning with Teach Me 2.

One of the biggest changes Nick has observed is that there is no longer one archetypal learner who gets tutoring. He says, “At one end, we encounter learners who have significant foundational gaps. At the other end of the spectrum, some of our strongest learners use tutors.

They’re not struggling at all, but may be preparing for a competitive degree, looking to master the hardest questions in an exam or to preserve as many options as possible for university.

They may turn to tutoring because they are trying to move from 80% to 90% in a particular subject. This is significant when it comes to Maths because just a small gain can be the difference between getting into a highly competitive field of study, or not.”

Maths is South Africa’s tutoring emergency – and it isn’t even close
Maths is consistently the most in-demand subject for tutoring interventions on the Teach Me 2 platform. It accounts for 4 out of every 10 tutoring hours and there are 4 times more Maths lessons delivered than English ones, the second most requested tutoring subject.

Pure Maths remains a critical checkpoint for learners wanting access to the STEM, data science, finance, economics and medical fields of tertiary education. Despite a rising Matric pass rate, the number of South African learners mastering Mathematics is in decline. In 2025, distinctions in both Maths and Physical Science fell. There were only 4,897 out of 253,368 potential maths distinctions - that’s 1.9%, down from 3.9% the year before.

Tutoring isn’t simply about catching up - increasingly, it’s also about getting ahead
“Whether we like it or not, education is a somewhat competitive endeavour,” says Nick. “Learners aren’t only trying to get a good education. They may have specific goals that define academic success for them. For that reason, many very strong students use tutoring precisely because they’re ambitious.

National data backs this up. Last year, over 700 000 Matrics qualified for some form of tertiary study, but public universities were expected to turn away over 500,000 applicants in 2026 due to the shortage of seats.

According to the actual intake reporting of January 2026, University of Cape Town received almost 99 000 applications for 4500 places; University of the Witwatersrand Wits had around 86,000 applications for 6,000 places; and Stellenbosch University had 90,000 applications for 6,005 places.

Demand for personalised learning is on the rise
Nick also believes the growing body of research around personalised learning, combined with the current excitement around AI, is contributing to a fuller appreciation of the potential of tutoring. One of the promises being made about AI in education is the possibility of giving everyone access to a personalised tutor and coach.

“A classroom is necessarily a fairly blunt instrument to deliver mass education,” he says. “A teacher has a curriculum to cover in a specific timeframe and a group of learners who are all progressing at different speeds.”

By contrast personalised learning can instead go backwards, identify exactly where a gap exists and spend time addressing it. For increasingly busy children, that efficiency can be valuable.

Supplementary education does not necessarily mean schools are failing
According to the latest BrandMapp survey, 27% of parents from households with a R10k+ monthly income are worried about the quality of their child’s education, whether they are in public or private schools - representing around 2.3 million parents whose concerns may make them open to an intervention such as tutoring.

But Nick doesn’t believe this should simply be read as evidence that schools are failing. “Schools have an incredibly difficult job,” he says. “Even an excellent school and an excellent teacher cannot consistently provide every learner with completely individualised instruction. This means that tutoring doesn’t only fill a quality gap. It fills a structural gap inherent in mass education.”

Parents are becoming designers of their child’s education
Expectations of education are also changing. Nick says, “We’ve had a relatively narrow definition of educational success for a long time, and that inevitably increases competition around access to universities.

What we are seeing today is a combination of system constraints, rising expectations and rising stakes, with families increasingly aware that they have additional tools available when the mainstream education system cannot meet a particular need.”

Nick describes today’s parents as much more sophisticated consumers of education than previous generations. Increasingly, parents are supplementing school with tutoring, exploring homeschooling, considering different curricula, paying a premium for smaller classes, using online learning or working backwards from a long-term goal such as admission to an overseas university.

The missing layer beneath the curriculum
Perhaps the most important insight the Teach Me 2 team has gained from tutoring demand is that the reason a learner is struggling is not always an understanding problem.

Nick says, “We fundamentally misdiagnose why many learners struggle. We assume it’s an understanding problem, when very often it’s a behavioural problem. The bigger problem is that many learners have never been taught how to learn, and don’t have an awareness of how they learn.”

For Nick, this is where the education conversation needs to go next.

“We spend an enormous amount of time teaching children what to learn. I don’t think we spend nearly enough time teaching them how to learn,” he concludes. “The goal is not just a learner who can pass the next exam, but someone who knows how to learn independently for the rest of their life. This is why Teach Me 2 is unique in designing our tutoring platform to make this impact in the modern educational landscape.”

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Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, says he is deeply concerned about allegations of sexual harassment involving an educator and a 17-year-old Grade 12 learner at Minerva Secondary School.

The allegations relate to alleged inappropriate communication between the educator and the learner, which reportedly began in June 2026 and continued through WhatsApp and other interactions. The matter was subsequently escalated to the Johannesburg East District for investigation.

Following preliminary investigations by the Gauteng Department of Education’s Labour Relations Unit, the educator has been placed on precautionary suspension pending the outcome of the formal investigation. Psychosocial support is also being provided to the affected learner.

Maile views the allegations in a serious light and maintains that the safety, dignity and wellbeing of learners must remain paramount, the department said.

“Educators occupy positions of trust and responsibility. Any allegation of inappropriate conduct towards a learner must be investigated thoroughly and without fear or favour. Our schools must remain safe spaces where learners are protected and respected,” said MEC Maile.

MEC Maile says he is equally concerned about the disruption of teaching and learning at the school.

On Tuesday, 18 August 2026, teaching and learning was significantly disrupted, with some learners prevented from entering the school premises. District officials, the School Management Team and the South African Police Service (SAPS) intervened to stabilise the situation.

“We understand the seriousness of the concerns raised. However, disrupting teaching and learning cannot be the solution. We must protect the affected learner while equally safeguarding the right of every learner to receive an education,” added MEC Maile.

Learners who were scheduled to write assessments and examinations were able to complete their academic activities. However, substantial teaching and learning time was lost, and the school will implement a recovery plan to address the lost academic time.

The allegations remain subject to a formal investigation and Maile called on all stakeholders to allow the investigation to proceed fairly and thoroughly, while maintaining stability and protecting teaching and learning at the school.

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Right now, Grade 9 learners are making a decision that will shape their academic futures - selecting the subjects they’ll carry through to matric. Too often, these choices are made with good intentions, but insufficient information.

Medicine and engineering sound like the sensible path; physics and pure maths get picked for prestige. But these choices often aren’t rooted in what the learner may actually care about.

Without genuine interest driving them, three years (or more) of study can feel endless. Motivation stalls, and academic performance quickly follows.

“Most learners don’t know what they want to do in Grade 9, and that’s completely normal,” says Brad Latilla-Campbell, Country Manager at Crimson Education, a global mentorship company that helps students gain admission to Ivy League, Oxbridge and other top universities worldwide.

“The goal isn’t to have your entire future mapped out. What matters is choosing subjects that don’t limit your future pathways. Beyond core requirements, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach - it’s about finding balance between your strengths, your interests and the subjects your chosen degree requires. Don’t chase the highest marks alone, and don’t try to keep every option open simultaneously.

“The core issue is exposure. Few learners understand what studying their chosen field at university involves. That’s where Crimson comes in. By helping learners explore different fields in depth, understand what studying them entails, and test whether their interests hold up before committing, they gain a much clearer sense of direction. That clarity makes an immediate difference: with a clear sense of where they’re headed, engagement with subjects shifts entirely.

“For those aiming to study abroad, the stakes become even higher,” says Latilla-Campbell. “Overseas universities read marks differently than local institutions do - working off raw percentages rather than grade bands, so an 80% and a 90% represent entirely different competitive positions.

“Combined with the reality that these institutions typically want five or six top grades, you need to set yourself up to perform at your best - and that almost always means choosing what excites you rather than what sounds safe.”

Subject selection, ultimately, sets the tone for everything that follows - not just which university doors remain open, but how the rest of a student’s profile comes together. Admissions officers assess the full picture - academics, extracurricular involvement, leadership and community engagement - looking for alignment between choices. When a student’s subjects reflect their actual direction, everything else naturally supports that narrative.

“That alignment doesn’t happen by accident,” says Latilla-Campbell. “It starts with having a real conversation about what you’re choosing and why. It’s never too late to have that discussion - there’s always a way to work around decisions already made. What’s critical is ensuring students don’t feel they’ve wasted time locked into the wrong path. The sooner you start exploring what your subjects actually lead to, the more open your future remains.”

Crimson Education’s admissions and application counselling model connects students with the world’s top tutors and mentors, providing tailored support to help them reach their personal education and career goals. For more information, visit www.crimsoneducation.org/za.

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Much of the debate about improving education in South Africa focuses on the classroom - literacy, numeracy, teacher development, and infrastructure. While these are vital, learning begins long before a child enters school.

The earliest years shape language, confidence, relationships, emotional wellbeing, and future learning. The first 1 000 days are especially critical, with rapid brain development continuing through the first five years.

This raises a key question, says Kerri-Lee Schneider, Discipline Leader at STADIO: “How do we prepare children, not just for school, but for learning?”

Early Childhood Development as the Foundation

Schneider argues that the answer lies with those caring for and educating children in their formative years. Early Childhood Development (ECD) is increasingly recognised at policy level.

In April 2022, responsibility for ECD shifted from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education — a move that underscores its role in the education journey.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) deliberately combines care and education. Young children need safe environments, nutrition, and emotional support, but also opportunities to explore, communicate, and make sense of the world.

“We need to move away from the idea that working with very young children is simply babysitting,” Schneider says. “These are the years when we build minds and lay foundations for lifelong learning.”

Play is central to this process. Far from being a break from learning, it is one of the primary ways children learn. “Play is the business of childhood,” Schneider adds.

Professionalising the Sector

Many South Africans working with young children have gained knowledge through experience, short courses, or workplace training, but lack formal qualifications. Professionalising ECCE requires pathways that build on this experience rather than exclude it.

Starting only at degree level risks shutting out practitioners with years of practical expertise who do not meet entry requirements for an NQF Level 7 qualification. To bridge this gap, STADIO will launch a Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education in Semester 1, 2027.

This one-year, NQF Level 5 qualification will be offered via distance learning, making higher education accessible to existing ECD practitioners, childminders, caregivers, and school leavers interested in the field.

“Professionalisation shouldn’t mean disregarding the experience people already have,” Schneider notes. “We must recognise that experience and create opportunities to deepen knowledge and skills.”

Bringing Knowledge and Practice Together

The qualification takes a holistic view of child development from birth, covering:

• Health and wellbeing

• Nutrition and care

• Growth and development

• Language and literacy

• Social and emotional development

• Intentional early learning

Students will complete six weeks of practical training in registered early childhood settings: two weeks of observation, followed by a four-week block facilitating early learning experiences.

The programme aligns with South African frameworks such as the National Curriculum Framework for Children from Birth to Four and the National Early Learning and Development Standards. Partnerships with international institutions — including Queen Maud University College (Norway), Pacific Oaks College (USA), and Brock University (Canada) — provide exposure to global best practice.

Importantly, the Higher Certificate is an entry point, not an end point. It can serve as a foundation for further studies, subject to admission requirements.

A Long-Term Investment

Schneider emphasises that investing in those who support children’s earliest learning should be seen not as a cost, but as a long-term investment benefiting individuals, families, communities, and future generations.

If South Africa wants to improve outcomes in Grade 1 and beyond, that investment must begin before the school gate - with the people who help children learn, grow, and thrive in their earliest years.

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Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, has condemned the burning of desks and chairs at Eastbank High School in Alexandra on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, calling the incident “deeply disappointing and unacceptable.”

Four desks and two chairs were destroyed, prompting a malicious damage to property case at Alexandra SAPS. Learners identified will face disciplinary action.

Maile stressed that the destruction of scarce resources worsens the severe capacity pressures at Eastbank High, which accommodates 2,063 learners in facilities built for 1,200. The school already faces shortages of 1,200 desks and 600 chairs, despite recent deliveries.

“There is absolutely no excuse for burning education infrastructure. Every desk and every chair matters, particularly in a school already under pressure,” Maile said.

The MEC also rejected claims that furniture was burned due to cold classrooms, noting that windows and doors had been repaired but were repeatedly damaged by learners. He warned that vandalism diverts limited funds from other urgent priorities such as scholar transport, nutrition and teaching materials.

Maile urged School Governing Bodies, parents, learners and communities to protect education infrastructure and uphold learners’ constitutional right to basic education.

“We need society to stand together against the vandalism of schools. These schools belong to our children and our communities. When you burn a desk, you are taking a desk away from a child. When you break a window, you are exposing a child to the cold. When you destroy a classroom, you are destroying an environment built for learning. And when you disrupt a school, you are interfering with a child’s constitutionally protected right to education,” said MEC Maile.

The Department will continue working with the school leadership and SGB to address the immediate furniture requirements, maintenance challenges and severe capacity pressures at Eastbank High School.

It will also cooperate with SAPS in relation to the malicious damage to property case and ensure that the school’s disciplinary processes proceed against learners implicated in the incident, Maile said.

“We must end this culture of hooliganism. We will acknowledge our shortcomings and fix what government is responsible for fixing. We expect SGBs to fulfil their responsibilities. But we equally expect learners, parents and communities to protect what belongs to them.

“There is no excuse for burning education infrastructure, learning materials or furniture, and there can never be justification for denying children their opportunity to learn”.

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The annual Wits Integrated Experience (WIE) short course introduces learners to university life while challenging them to address real-world issues through an interdisciplinary approach. This year’s case study focused on the impact of illegal mining in South Africa, requiring learners to draw on knowledge from the University’s five faculties before conducting further research and presenting their findings to a panel.

Schools Liaison Officer Msimelelo Tshotyana said the WIE encourages learners to apply critical thinking to pressing societal challenges and develop solutions informed by what they learn at Wits. Learners attended sessions led by academics across the University’s faculties before returning to their schools to conduct further research and develop their responses to the illegal mining challenge.

“We’re very excited to learn the kind of thinking that they will be going through and the kind of solutions that they’re going to bring to the table,” said Tshotyana.

The learners later returned to Wits to present their findings, bringing together weeks of research, collaboration, and problem-solving.

For many participants, the programme offered an inspiring glimpse into university life. Smelokuhle Ndlovu, a Grade 11 learner from Kaalfontein High School, described the experience as both exciting and challenging. “Honestly, it’s great being here, yet stressful because of all the planning. But being in such a prestigious university, I’m very delighted and very honoured to be at Wits. It’s really great to be here,” said Ndlovu.

Hanzalah Kolabhai, Head Boy of Ahmed Timol Secondary School, said both phases of the programme strengthened his desire to study at Wits. “Seeing all the learners come together and present their creative ideas really inspired me. Because of this, I think one day I really want to study at this university and become a proud Wits student.”

The programme culminated in presentations by participating schools, with learners demonstrating weeks of research, collaboration, and critical thinking. Six schools emerged as winners of the Response Plan Challenge, culminating in an awards ceremony where learners were recognised for their efforts with certificates and prizes.

The winning schools were:

1. Al Aqsa School

2. De La Salle Holy Cross College

3. Kibler Park Secondary School

4. Rand Park High School

5. Mondeor High School

6. Waterstone College High School

Cole James, a Grade 11 learner from Kibler Park Secondary School, whose team received the award for Best Presentation, said the achievement reflected weeks of dedication. “I’m honestly so overwhelmed. Sleepless nights, a month of dedication, but it all worked out in the end,” he said. “Part one was extremely informative. We learnt a lot from the different faculties, from science to geoscience to engineering.”

Another member of the winning team, Mualusi Siblei from Mondeor High School, said the experience provided valuable insight into university life while encouraging teamwork and perseverance.

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The inaugural Trial by Science 2026 workshop and competition ended on a high at Parktown High School for Girls in Johannesburg, with Grade 8 and 9 learners showcasing innovative science projects developed during a four-week STEM Scholars South Africa programme.

At the closing expo, learners presented their projects to a panel of expert judges, demonstrating impressive scientific thinking, creativity and confidence.

The event which took place last week also featured an awards ceremony, networking opportunities with STEM professionals, and an exciting chemistry demonstration by the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Chemistry.

Founded by Parktown Girls alumna Dr Marushka Soobben, STEM Scholars aims to give young learners meaningful exposure to science, mentorship and real-world problem-solving opportunities.

“These learners proved that when young people are given real exposure to science, real mentors and a real stage, they rise to meet the challenge every single time,” said Dr Soobben.

Top honours went to Taylor Heldsinger for Safeview, a sensor that uses ultrasonic technology to that plugs into a laptop to determine a safe viewing distance from your screen. Bukhosi Hlophe secured second place with an innovative evaporative cooling system designed to preserve food without electricity. Rachel McBain Charles placed third for her atmospheric water generation project addressing water scarcity. The Catalyst Award was presented to Jodi Murphy for her energy-efficient kettle design.

The judges praised the high standard of entries, noting the learners’ ability to apply scientific principles to solve real-world challenges. Industry partners, including Separations, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Diplomics and Marang a Kitso Tutoring, supported the event through prizes, mentorship and work-shadowing opportunities.

Following the success of the pilot programme, STEM Scholars plans to expand Trial by Science to more high schools in 2027, continuing its mission to nurture the next generation of South African scientists and innovators.

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The Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, notes the court proceedings held on Monday in the criminal matter involving the alleged sexual abuse of a learner at Karabo Primary School.

The MEC remains gravely disturbed by the allegations and extends his deepest sympathy and continued support to the learner, the learner’s family and the entire school community during this difficult time.

The MEC confirms that the Gauteng Department of Education responded immediately after the incident was reported on 28 May 2026. The matter was reported to the South African Police Service without delay, the learner received medical attention and psychosocial support through the Thuthuzela Care Centre, and the accused educator was arrested. The accused remains in custody while the criminal justice process continues before the courts.

“As this matter is now before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment on the merits of the criminal proceedings. We have full confidence in the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority and the judiciary to discharge their constitutional responsibilities independently and without interference,” said MEC Maile.

The MEC emphasised that the Department is equally bound by the Employment of Educators Act, 1998, the Labour Relations Act, 1995, the South African Schools Act, 1996, the Children’s Act, 2005, and applicable departmental disciplinary prescripts.

While every employee is entitled to procedural fairness and the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court, these rights do not diminish the Department’s legal obligation to protect learners and to institute appropriate administrative and disciplinary processes where warranted.

“The protection of learners remains our foremost priority. Every child has the constitutional right to dignity, safety and a learning environment free from abuse, exploitation and violence.

“We will continue to provide the necessary psychosocial support to the learner and cooperate fully with all law enforcement authorities until the matter has been finalised,” the MEC said.

MEC Maile reiterated that the Gauteng Provincial Government maintains a zero-tolerance approach to sexual abuse, gender-based violence and all forms of violence against children. He further called upon communities to remain vigilant and to report any abuse immediately so that appropriate legal and protective interventions can be implemented.

“The safety of our children cannot be left to government alone. It requires the active involvement of parents, families, educators, communities, religious institutions, civil society and law enforcement agencies.

“This is precisely why we continue to champion the ‘It Takes a Village to Raise a Child’ campaign. Protecting children is a shared constitutional and moral responsibility, and together we must ensure that our schools remain places of safety, dignity and hope.”

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has concluded a comprehensive internal assessment into allegations of corruption, fraud, financial mismanagement, maladministration and procurement irregularities affecting public schools across the province between 2023 and June 2026. What has emerged is a clear picture of a challenge that is both serious and systemic — but also one that the Department is determined to confront decisively, said Lebogang Maile, the Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.

The assessment forms part of a broader effort to strengthen governance, safeguard public resources and restore confidence in the education system. Conducted through an extensive review of departmental data and records, the assessment identified 41 serious matters involving principals, School Governing Body (SGB) members, finance officials, educators, administrative staff, support personnel and service providers entrusted with the management of public resources.

Importantly, the Department’s review marks the beginning of a more intensive phase of accountability and enforcement, added Maile, and was in line with the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PRECCA), through which government departments are legally obliged to report suspected corruption involving R100 000 or more to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks).

While internal investigations focus on gathering evidence for disciplinary action and institutional reform, criminal investigations remain the responsibility of specialised law enforcement agencies. The Department will therefore pursue all appropriate legal processes and referrals to ensure that wrongdoing is fully investigated and prosecuted where necessary, the MEC said.

A Persistent Challenge Requiring Structural Solutions

The assessment found that 22 cases were recorded in 2023, accounting for 54% of all reported matters. A further 13 cases were recorded in 2025, while six cases had already emerged by June 2026.

Although the annual numbers fluctuate, Maile said the findings indicate that corruption and financial misconduct remain active within parts of the schooling system. The pattern suggests a structural challenge that requires sustained intervention rather than isolated corrective actions.

The cases are spread across multiple districts, with Johannesburg East accounting for 24% of recorded matters, followed by Ekurhuleni South (15%), Johannesburg Central (10%) and Tshwane South (7%). Together, these districts account for more than half of all recorded cases.

He added that the findings reveal recurring patterns including inflated invoices, duplicate quotations, procurement conducted outside prescribed processes, unauthorised withdrawals, undocumented cash transactions and payments for goods or services that were never delivered.

Behind every irregular transaction lies a direct impact on learners. Resources diverted through corruption are resources taken away from textbooks, classrooms, school meals, infrastructure improvements and learner support programmes.

In one district alone, the assessment uncovered allegations involving more than R1 million in misappropriated funds at a primary school, irregular procurement worth approximately R230 000 at another institution, significantly inflated supplier payments at a school for learners with special educational needs, and overspending exceeding R2.2 million at a high school over two financial years.

Learners Bear the Greatest Cost

Maile said the Department is particularly concerned about misconduct that affects some of the province’s most vulnerable communities.

Many of the schools where irregularities have been identified are located in historically disadvantaged communities facing overcrowding, infrastructure pressures, unemployment and poverty. In these communities, schools serve not only as centres of learning but also as providers of nutrition, stability, psychosocial support and social protection.

When corruption occurs in such environments, its effects extend far beyond financial losses.

The assessment identified concerns around the alleged theft of food intended for the National School Nutrition Programme, which serves approximately 1.6 million learners. There are also reports involving the theft or misappropriation of furniture, stationery, building materials and technical equipment.

The MEC said that the Department was equally concerned about scholar transport irregularities. Preliminary evidence suggests that some service providers may have misrepresented the size and condition of their vehicle fleets while receiving payment for services not fully delivered. Such practices not only undermine value for money but may place learners’ safety at risk through overcrowding, extended travel times and increased exposure to road accidents.

Similarly, concerns regarding undeclared donations have highlighted weaknesses in financial accountability. While many schools benefit from support provided by businesses, churches, NGOs and community organisations, every donation—whether financial or in-kind—must be properly declared, recorded and audited to ensure transparency.

Strong Action Already Underway

The Department has not waited for the completion of the assessment to act.

Using powers provided under national and provincial education legislation, Maile said the Department has intervened decisively in schools where governance failures have been identified.

Between 2024 and June 2026:

• Functions were withdrawn from 26 public schools.

• SGB members were removed from office in 37 schools.

• Interventions were implemented across all 15 education districts in Gauteng.

These actions were undertaken in accordance with applicable legislation and due process requirements.

The grounds for intervention included procurement irregularities, self-awarded contracts, bribery allegations, financial mismanagement, nepotism, unlawful appointments, payment of suppliers without supporting documentation, irregular transport claims, failure to comply with governance requirements and breaches of the SGB Code of Conduct.

While each case differs in its specific circumstances, the message is clear: governance failures that compromise teaching, learning and learner welfare will not be tolerated.

A New Phase of Accountability

Building on the findings of the assessment, Maile said that the Gauteng Department of Education is now implementing a strengthened anti-corruption programme aimed at addressing both immediate risks and systemic vulnerabilities.

A key focus area will be investigations into allegations that individuals within the education sector may be doing business with the state through proxies, family members or undeclared interests. Such conduct is prohibited under the Public Administration Management Act and the Public Service Regulations.

The Department will also strengthen financial oversight through enhanced vetting and accountability measures for individuals responsible for managing school finances. These measures will include criminal record screening, financial background checks, conflict-of-interest declarations, qualification verification and competency assessments.

Scholar transport oversight will likewise be intensified through route verification, vehicle audits, compliance inspections and stricter contract monitoring.

Most significantly, the Department will deepen collaboration with the South African Police Service, the Hawks, Gauteng Provincial Treasury and internal risk, compliance and labour relations structures to ensure that cases move beyond internal investigations and into the criminal justice system where warranted.

Protecting Education Through Collective Action

The Department’s response is guided by a simple principle: every rand lost to corruption is a rand taken away from a learner’s future.

The findings underscore the need for stronger accountability, tighter controls and a collective societal response. Schools cannot be expected to defeat corruption alone. Parents, educators, learners, communities, faith-based organisations, labour unions, business and government all have a role to play in protecting public education.

Through initiatives such as It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, Maile said the Department will continue to promote community participation, transparency and social accountability in schools.

The ultimate goal is not merely to expose wrongdoing, but to build an education system where integrity is non-negotiable, public resources are protected, and every learner has the opportunity to succeed in a safe, accountable and well-governed school environment.

Maile concluded with a strong message: corruption has no place in education, and those who seek to profit at the expense of learners will increasingly face both disciplinary and criminal consequences.

Action, though, say critics, is the key!

©Higher Education Media Service.

The Tshwane University of Technology’s Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) partnered with The Cyberculture Foundation to equip learners at Jiswa School in Lenasia with essential knowledge and skills to navigate digital spaces safely, responsibly and confidently.

The cyberbullying awareness outreach programme focused on online safety, responsible digital behaviour and creating positive online environments. The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to prepare young people for an increasingly digital world while promoting digital wellness and responsible citizenship.

The programme addressed key issues, including recognising cyberbullying, understanding online risks, protecting personal information, using social media responsibly and knowing where to find help when facing online harassment. Interactive discussions and practical examples encouraged learners to reflect on their online behaviour and its impact on others.

Prof Topside Mathonsi, Head of Information Technology and volunteer at The Cyberculture Foundation, said the initiative aimed to help learners understand the importance of responsible technology use.

“Technology has the power to connect, educate and empower us, but it must always be used responsibly. We want learners to understand that kindness, respect and empathy are just as important online as they are in the physical world. By educating young people about cyberbullying, we are helping to create safer digital communities for everyone,” he said.

Prof Mathonsi also highlighted the importance of collaboration between higher education institutions and community organisations in addressing digital challenges affecting young people.

Dr Tshimangadzo Tshilongamulenzhe, Senior Lecturer in Information Technology, said cyberbullying is one of the most significant challenges young people face in the digital age.

“Many learners spend a significant amount of time online, whether for learning, entertainment or social interaction. It is therefore essential that they understand the risks associated with digital platforms and know how to protect themselves. Our goal is to empower learners to recognise cyberbullying, respond appropriately and seek help when needed,” he said.

He added that awareness initiatives help build confidence and encourage responsible digital citizenship.

Dr Tendani Lavhengwa, Senior Lecturer and Section Head in Informatics, emphasised that digital literacy and cyber safety must develop together.

“As technology evolves, learners need more than technical skills. They need the knowledge to make safe and ethical decisions online. We want learners to understand that every action they take online leaves a digital footprint and that they have a responsibility to contribute positively to the digital spaces they occupy,” he said.

Dr Lavhengwa encouraged learners to use technology as a tool for learning, creativity and personal growth while contributing positively to online communities.

The outreach was particularly valuable for Jiswa School, which supports learners with special educational needs. The programme provided practical guidance on recognising unsafe online situations, protecting personal information and asking assistance from trusted adults when necessary.

School representatives welcomed the initiative and described the session as informative, engaging and beneficial for both learners and staff. The programme strengthened awareness of cyberbullying while reinforcing the values of empathy, inclusion and respect in digital environments.

The Cyberculture Foundation promotes digital wellness, responsible online behaviour and safer internet use among children and young people. Working with schools, parents, teachers and communities, the organisation equips young people with knowledge and skills to build positive digital identities and become responsible digital citizens.

By joining expertise and resources, TUT’s Faculty of ICT and The Cyberculture Foundation demonstrated a shared commitment to promoting digital wellness and preparing learners to become confident, informed and responsible participants in the digital world.

Story by By Kgothatso Monono was first published on the TUT website.

©Higher Education Media Services.

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Teachers’ past experiences of bullying shape how they might understand or respond to learner behaviour.

Bullying is a widespread global problem, with extensive research across countries showing that no school is immune. In South Africa, the scale is particularly concerning, with studies indicating that between a fifth and over half of learners have experienced or witnessed school violence.

This means many pre-service teachers will enter training having experienced bullying at school themselves.

Studies elsewhere have shown that experiences of bullying can foster empathy and intervention, but may also result in avoidance, helplessness or even aggression. That’s why it’s important to understand teachers’ beliefs and coping styles in addressing bullying.

One theory about learning, Social Learning Theory, posits that behaviour is learned through observation and imitation. This would suggest that bullying and aggression are shaped by experiences at home, school and society.

Pre-service teachers therefore start their training with pre-formed beliefs about how bullying is managed, based on what they have witnessed. However, behaviour is not determined by observation alone. The Theory of Planned Behaviour argues that individuals act when they feel motivated and confident. This implies that a person can do something to reduce bullying if they are supported by others.

Researchers have noted that bullying involves three key actors, namely the perpetrator, victim and bystander. It’s been suggested that teachers can be “key agents of change”. But studies have found that although teachers recognise the need to act, they frequently underestimate the prevalence of the problem. And learners may avoid reporting incidents because they think that no action will be taken.

As a teacher educator I’m interested in what they bring from their past to their profession, and how to prepare them for their role. A few years ago I carried out a study which investigated how the past experiences of first year pre-service teachers in a South African School of Education shaped their perceptions about bullying and their responses to it, and how these experiences might influence their roles as future teachers.

More than half the teachers in the study had witnessed bullying at school at some point, but had done nothing about it. I found that they seemed ill prepared to deal with bullying. I am not aware of this being a routine part of teacher training in South Africa. Their training ought to prepare them better so as to break the cycle of learning to be bystanders (or worse).

The pre-service teachers in the study have not been followed up in subsequent years.

Experiences of bullying at school

My study used a mixed-methods, longitudinal design to examine pre-service teachers’ experiences and understandings of bullying. Data from 305 multiple-choice questionnaires established the frequency of their exposure to bullying at school when they were learners themselves. A group of 56 respondents completed open-ended questionnaires about how they thought their experiences might affect them as teachers.

The results revealed that most had experienced bullying as bystanders (66%). They said they had been “afraid of being bullied”, choosing to “just sit and watch”. Some (18%) identified as victims and noted that they had been “bullied most of the time” and “constantly physically attacked by fellow learners”. Twelve percent (12%) of participants said they had assumed a combination of roles (bystander, victim, bully).

One participant stated that he “was a victim at some stage of (his) schooling, but when (he) got smarter (he) started being a bully”. A minority (3%) admitted to bullying, which was often linked to power. One said he had been able to act freely as the “teacher’s favourite”. Another participant noted that he “would use (his) power as class representative and tease others knowing that they won’t say anything back”.

These patterns suggest that the participants had learned through observation, and that they might not act against bullying when they became teachers.

Still, 79% said they believed their experiences would make them “better teachers”, even though they were “never sure what exactly to do”. These participants expressed strong intentions to act by “reporting every bullying incident”, yet also highlighted systemic gaps, noting when they were learners at school their teachers at school “did not take the matter any further”.

A dominant (64%) perception was that “there is no avoiding bullying … (it’s) a growing pandemic”. Participants emphasised emotional impact: one comment was that bullying “makes you feel absolutely terrible and destroyed”. These experiences fostered empathy but also vulnerability, as some felt it could “test (their) anger levels” or make teaching “a burden”.

Future teachers

These findings matter because they show that teachers are not neutral actors; their past experiences of bullying shape how they might interpret, ignore or respond to learner behaviour. When a majority enter the profession as former bystanders or victims, there is a real risk of inaction, misjudgement or overcorrection in classrooms.

This has direct implications for school climate, learner safety and the reproduction of harmful power dynamics. Without intervention, cycles of silence and normalisation may persist despite good intentions.

The study participants did not receive training after the study to help them manage bullying.

Teacher education programmes must integrate structured, critical reflection on personal schooling histories, particularly around bullying and authority. This should be coupled with explicit training in evidence-based anti-bullying strategies, not just awareness. Mentorship during teaching practice must intentionally surface and guide these reflections. Finally, schools must not put all the responsibility on novice teachers.

This article by Moeniera Moosa was first published in The Conversation.

©Higher Education Media Services.

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The Association of African Universities (AAU) is leading the implementation of the Sahel Regional Engagement for Learning and Collaboration in Education (RELANCE) project, a game-changing regional initiative designed to strengthen education systems and expand access to learning and employment opportunities for vulnerable youth across the Sahel.
Funded by the World Bank and the Federal Republic of Germany, in collaboration with the governments of Chad and Mauritania, RELANCE targets some of the most underserved populations in the region, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and nomadic communities.

With an investment of USD 137 million, the project adopts a coordinated continental approach to address systemic education challenges while advancing inclusion, resilience and long-term impact.
RELANCE is structured around three core components:

• Establishing a regional institute for applied research, policy advisory, and training to support education professionals and improve learning outcomes, benefiting at least 1,500 education professionals across both countries.

• Introducing a flexible Open School model to provide alternative education and vocational training opportunities for out-of-school youth, with a focus on climate resilience and digital learning. The initiative is expected to reach up to 850,000 young people, at least half of whom are female.

• Supporting coordinated project management through regional and national structures, with robust monitoring, evaluation, and financial management systems.

The project places a strong emphasis on gender equality, promoting girls’ enrollment and retention through targeted incentives and the development of gender-responsive learning environments.

As the Regional Facilitation Unit, the AAU will provide strategic oversight and coordination, ensuring effective implementation, stakeholder engagement, performance monitoring, and visibility of project outcomes across the region.

The project will be coordinated by Dr. Abass Youba Sylla, a Mauritanian national and AAU staff member with extensive experience in managing large-scale development initiatives, who is based at the Project Secretariat in Chad.

The urgency of this intervention is underscored by stark regional realities. In the Central Sahel, one in three young people is out of school, while many others have limited access to meaningful employment opportunities.

In Chad, 57% of primary-school-aged children are out of school, while in Mauritania, 45% of secondary-school-aged youth are not in school, significantly constraining their future prospects and reinforcing cycles of poverty and vulnerability.

Globally, the challenge is equally pressing. According to recent data, 46% of school-aged refugee children are out of school, and access to higher education remains extremely limited. RELANCE responds directly to these gaps by creating inclusive pathways for learning and skills development tailored to the needs of vulnerable populations.

Speaking on the initiative, Prof. Olusola B. Oyewole, Secretary-General of the AAU, noted: “RELANCE resonates directly with the AAU’s continental mandate, to connect institutions, shape policies, and advance inclusive education systems that respond to Africa’s evolving development priorities. For the AAU, it represents both an opportunity and a responsibility to further support the strengthening of education systems and expanding access to learning in one of the continent’s most challenging regions, while reinforcing our presence and sustained engagement in Chad as a strategic hub for the Sahel.”

Dr. Sylvia Mkandawire, Director of Special Projects at AAU, added:
“This project allows us to operationalize innovative approaches to education delivery, particularly for vulnerable communities. By combining flexible learning models, digital tools, and regional coordination, RELANCE is helping to redefine how education systems respond in fragile and complex contexts.”

Through RELANCE, the AAU and its partners are advancing a shared vision of inclusive, resilient, and opportunity-driven education systems, capable of transforming lives and supporting sustainable development across the Sahel region and Africa.

©Higher Education Media Services.

The recent discussion surrounding the Children’s Amendment Bill has prompted a national conversation about access, equity, and quality in South Africa’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector.

For many years, ECD centres have faced significant challenges in navigating registration requirements while simultaneously attempting to provide safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate learning environments for young children.

This is most significantly the case in under-resourced centres. While regulation remains essential to protect children’s rights and wellbeing, stakeholders across the sector have long argued that administrative barriers should not prevent children from accessing vital early learning opportunities.

The Children’s Amendment Bill seeks to address this tension by creating a more enabling framework for ECD registration and support. The proposed amendments recognise that many community-based centres operate under challenging circumstances and require assistance to achieve compliance rather than exclusion from the system.

This development comes at a critical time for South Africa. Research consistently demonstrates that the first five years of a child’s life represent the most important period for brain development, language acquisition, social-emotional growth, and school readiness. However, despite this evidence, many children continue to face barriers to accessing quality ECD services.

The Children’s Amendment Bill presents an opportunity for Early Childhood Development. However, legislation alone cannot address the complex challenges facing the sector. Sustainable progress will require continued investment in the infrastructure, curriculum development and teacher training in centres.

As organisations working within the ECD sector, we welcome reforms that recognise the realities faced by centres. We cannot stress enough how important the first 1000 days of a child’s life are. We firmly believe that investment in ECDs is a long term investment because it advances children during their most pertinent years.

The Bill reflects a growing understanding that quality Early Childhood Development is not merely a social service; it is a national investment. Every child who gains access to quality early learning enters school better prepared to succeed, while society benefits from stronger educational outcomes, improved economic participation, and reduced inequality.

The Children’s Amendment Bill represents another positive step towards ensuring that all children have access to the strong foundations they need to thrive.

“The early years represent the greatest opportunity we have to change a child’s trajectory. We welcome reforms that make it easier for ECD centres to access support while maintaining a focus on quality and child wellbeing. When more centres are able to participate fully in the ECD ecosystem, more children benefit from the learning experiences that prepare them for lifelong success”- Theresa Michael, CEO Afrika Tikkun Bambanani.

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In every classroom, every playground, every township street, and every rural village, there are children carrying their own unique stories.

Some arrive at school hungry, some anxious. Some have witnessed violence even before breakfast. Some have learned to stay silent long before they learned to read.

And yet, despite these realities, children still laugh loudly during break time. They still raise their hands eagerly in class. They still dream without limits.

That is why Children’s Week cannot simply be about celebration. It must also be about protection.

“Child safeguarding should not just be a policy hidden inside a filing cabinet. It must be as a living promise to every child who walks through the doors of an Early Childhood Development centre (ECD), enters a classroom” says Theresa Michael, CEO, Afrika Tikkun Bambanani.

Across South Africa, Afrika Tikkun Bambanani works alongside practitioners, teachers, caregivers, schools, and communities to strengthen early childhood development and improve educational outcomes for children from diverse backgrounds.

But behind the lesson plans and training sessions lies something even more important than curriculum delivery. There is a commitment to ensuring that children feel safe, respected, heard, and protected.

Because safeguarding is not only about responding to harm. It is about building environments where harm struggles to exist in the first place.

For many children, schools and ECD centres become more than places of learning. They become spaces of emotional safety. They become places where children are noticed. Places where someone asks if they are okay.

Places where adults pay attention when behaviour changes, when silence becomes unusual, or when fear quietly replaces confidence.
The quiet heroes between the cracks.

“Safeguarding must be woven into the way practitioners are trained, the way classrooms are supported, and the way relationships with children are built. This should be in holistic child centred development, emotional wellbeing, inclusive learning environments, and ethical responsibility,” says Michael.

Child protection is often misunderstood as something reactive that should be reserved only for emergencies. But true safeguarding is proactive. It is the creation of systems, cultures, and relationships that place the wellbeing of children at the centre of everything.

It means listening when children speak. It means believing children when they are afraid. It means creating classrooms rooted in emotional safety and ensuring adults understand boundaries, ethics, and responsibility. It means training practitioners to identify warning signs early and protecting children both offline and online. It also means recognising that emotional harm can leave scars as deep as physical harm.

“Most importantly, safeguarding means understanding that every child deserves to feel safe before they are expected to succeed,” adds Michael.

Are we raising children to survive, or are we creating environments where they can truly thrive?

At Afrika Tikkun Bambanani, the answer lies in strengthening communities through education, collaboration, training, and compassion. Through its work in Early Childhood Development, school support, practitioner mentoring, and family engagement, the organisation continues to advocate for spaces where children are protected, nurtured, empowered, and given the opportunity to flourish.

Because safeguarding is not separate from education. It is education.

A child who feels unsafe cannot learn freely. A child who feels unseen cannot develop confidently. A child who is unheard slowly learns silence.

Children’s Protection Week should involve courageous conversations, stronger systems, better training, and collective accountability.

There is an African proverb that says, “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.”

Afrika Tikkun Bambanani understands that safeguarding is how communities embrace children before the fire begins.

©Higher Education Media Services.

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Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has tabled a reform-driven Budget Vote 16 that places early learning, literacy, accountability and governance at the centre of South Africa’s education recovery, while warning that several provinces are now in serious financial distress, threatening the stability of schooling systems nationwide.

Speaking under the theme “Strong Foundations for Strong Futures”, Gwarube said the system continues to fail most children long before they reach higher grades, with inequality entrenched from early childhood. Using the example of two hypothetical 10-year-olds — Lindiwe, who attended a well-resourced ECD centre, and Nelson, who did not — she said: “over 90% of South African children are Nelsons and not Lindiwes… the education injustice of our time”.

Key Highlights

• 13,300 ECD centres registered in one year, exceeding the 10,000 target

• 200% growth in ECD registration since 2021, reaching 1.2 million children

• ECD Nutrition Pilot launched in the Eastern Cape to combat child stunting (7% nationally)

• National screen-time guidelines for ages 2–6 are under development.

• AI-in-education framework being drafted; teacher remains central to decision-making.

• R10 billion needed to align Grade R salaries and staffing; R800 million diverted from ECD Grant to ease immediate pressures

• New provincial performance “basket of indicators” to replace reliance on matric pass rates alone

• 99.9% of SAFE pit toilets eradicated, with one project outstanding

• Independent investigation launched into Foundation Phase National Catalogue procurement.

• R38.2 billion budget, including R11bn for nutrition and R16bn for infrastructure

ECD Expansion and Early Learning Reforms

A major thrust of the budget is the rapid expansion of Early Childhood Development. The government registered 13,300 ECD centres in the past year, far above the 10,000 target — contributing to a 200% increase in registered centres since 2021 and bringing 1.2 million children into formal early learning programmes.

To address malnutrition, the ECD Nutrition Pilot has begun implementation in the Eastern Cape, responding to Thrive by Five findings indicating that 7% of children are stunted due to poor nutrition.

The department will also introduce national screen-time guidelines for children aged two to six and is reviewing the 2004 White Paper on e-Education while developing guidance on AI use for schools. “The machine may assist, but the teacher must decide,” Gwarube said.

Grade R Funding Crisis

Implementing compulsory Grade R remains financially constrained. Aligning practitioner salaries with Foundation Phase educators and hiring additional teachers will cost R10 billion over the medium term. With Treasury unable to meet the requirement, the department redirected R800 million from the ECD Grant, a move Gwarube described as imperfect but necessary.

Legislation, Governance and BELA Act Progress

Draft regulations under the BELA Act, including admissions, school capacity and learner pregnancy, are already out for public comment, with further regulations on teacher development, home education and SGB elections to follow. Amendments to the Schools Act will formally recognise online schools, while Cabinet has approved the Children’s Amendment Bill to strengthen ECD governance.

Provincial Financial Distress

Gwarube issued a stark warning: several provinces are now experiencing the budget crises predicted in 2024. KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and the Northern Cape face severe shortfalls, prompting the creation of a Multi-disciplinary Recovery Technical Support Team to stabilise planning and resourcing. “When provincial education finances fail, learners suffer first,” she said.

She also cautioned provinces against delaying Norms and Standards payments, calling them “the lifeblood of teaching and learning”.

Teacher Support, Performance Measures and Integrity

The government will train 10,000 Foundation Phase teachers in literacy and numeracy this year and reduce administrative burdens following recommendations from the National Education and Training Council. The Funza Lushaka bursary programme now allocates 55% of bursaries to Foundation Phase teaching, up from 42% in 2025.

A new “basket of indicators” will replace the narrow focus on matric pass rates, offering a more accurate picture of quality and progression. Disciplinary and criminal processes are underway following limited exam irregularities in Gauteng.

Infrastructure and Anti-Corruption Measures

The SAFE Initiative has eliminated 99.9% of pit toilets, though Gwarube expressed frustration at delays. The government has allocated R16.3 billion for infrastructure, including sanitation, safety, and relief from overcrowding.

An independent investigation will probe procurement deviations in the Foundation Phase National Catalogue after Treasury’s inconclusive assessment. “Corruption in education is never victimless,” she said.

A System Judged by Outcomes

With a total allocation of R38.2 billion, Gwarube said the true measure of the government’s work will be whether children “read better, count better, learn in safety, eat at school and leave school with strong futures because we governed well”.

© Higher Education Media Services.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has taken the unprecedented step of referring the procurement of South Africa’s new Foundation Phase textbook catalogue to the Office of the Public Protector. The decision follows mounting public concern and weeks of media reports alleging possible irregularities in the awarding of contracts for the Grades 1–3 catalogue.

Committee chairperson Joy Maimela said the referral was necessary to restore public confidence and ensure that the process withstands independent scrutiny.

“At this stage, the public is concerned. I am panicking as a parent, and I am panicking as a lawmaker, about whether there will be a textbook in the hands of every learner at the start of the school year,” she said.

The committee’s decision comes after reports that Lighthouse Publishing — registered for only three months — secured a major contract in the new catalogue.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) told the committee that the catalogue development process began several years ago, with publishers first notified in 2020 and a formal call for submissions issued in 2024.

Responding to allegations that Lighthouse lacked the capacity to deliver, the DBE said it had received a communiqué from Class Act Educational Services outlining the editorial and production support available for the project. The department also highlighted the introduction of a new “blind screening” evaluation system, which ensured that evaluators assessed materials without knowing the identity of authors or publishers.

Committee members noted that the previous catalogue was dominated by three publishing houses controlling seven titles, and said the new process must be beyond reproach to avoid perceptions of political or administrative interference.

Maimela said the Public Protector’s investigation should also examine the risk of delays in textbook delivery ahead of the 2027 academic year. “This is a very sensitive matter. We appreciate the Minister’s commitment to an internal investigation, but the committee believes an independent process is essential,” she said.

In a separate resolution, the committee agreed to refer concerns about the recruitment of two senior DBE officials — the Deputy Director‑General for Curriculum Policy, Support and Monitoring, and the Chief Director for Communications — to the Public Service Commission. The referral includes scrutiny of Minister Siviwe Gwarube's conduct in relation to the appointments.

©Higher Education Media Services.

UKZN’s women’s rugby programme continues its impressive rise as two standout players prepare to represent KwaZulu‑Natal at the SA Rugby U20 Women’s Tournament in Johannesburg next week.

Executive Director of Corporate Relations, Normah Zondo, commended the athletes for their excellence and contribution to the growth of women’s rugby at UKZN.

Both players, Hlekane Baloyi and Asanda Mnyandu, have also earned coveted places in the South African U20 national team.

Zondo described their selection for one of the country’s most competitive youth rugby structures as a remarkable accomplishment, reflecting the spirit of excellence that defines UKZN as the University continues to position itself among South Africa’s leading sporting institutions.

One of the students travelling to Johannesburg next week, Hlekane Baloyi, said the team is looking forward to playing together, enjoying the game, winning, and excelling in the sport. Tyla Scott, below, is also in contention for a starting spot on the team.

Baloyi and Mnyandu have also been selected to represent the country in the South African U20 squad. Commenting on this national call-up, Baloyi expressed gratitude for the opportunity.

“I hope to receive more opportunities to represent my country, province, and UKZN in the future,” she said.

The players are scheduled to compete in Johannesburg next week in the SA Rugby U20 Women’s Tournament, an annual national competition aimed at bridging the gap between school and senior rugby players and developing national talent for the future.

©Higher Education Media Services