The Basic Education Ministry has vowed to work persistently to accelerate the placement of all unplaced learners to ensure that children receive their dividend of democracy – their constitutional right to quality education in public schools. Minister Gwarube highlighted this right to basic education in her oversight visit to several schools in the Bojanala Education District in the North West Province on 14 January 2026. Flanked by the North West MEC for Education, Ms Viola Motsumi, Minister Gwarube used the visit to monitor the state of system readiness in ensuring that all learners have received the required Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) and were served with nutrient meals prepared through the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP).
As part of the programme, the Minister also inspected the readiness of the NSNP kitchen to ensure that nutritious meals are prepared and served to learners from day one of schooling, assisting with serving learners a warm, nutritious breakfast. By ensuring that learners begin their day with a healthy meal, the programme reinforces the message that no learner can learn effectively on an empty stomach, and that nutrition remains a key pillar of academic success.
Speaking in the North West Province, Minister Gwarube also shared her appreciation to SMTs for showing dedication and commitment towards system readiness. “I am excited that schools in this district received the necessary LTSM and I am satisfied that the NSNP has been implemented effectively in the two schools we visited thus far. We are visiting schools to support the provinces in strengthening quality learning and teaching. Our observation made during these visits was that schools have received all the required resources for learning and teaching to commence on the first day of school. Minister Gwarube and her entourage proceeded to Itumeleng Learning Centre where they interacted with children and Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners. Minister Gwarube committed to taking the Bana Pele ECD Registration Drive to the North West Province in the next few weeks to encourage ECD centres to register for a government subsidy: “The bottom line is that all ECD centres are required to register to qualify for a government subsidy,” added Minister Gwarube.
Deputy Minister Mhaule visited schools in the Umlazi Education District in the KwaZulu-Natal Province and the Gert Sibande Education District, in the Mpumalanga Province where she engaged the School Management Teams (SMTs) and the 2026 class. She also extended her appreciation to SMTs for their continued commitment towards improving effective administration of schools. She further encouraged the Class of 2026 to remain focused and dedicated. “The first thing you are required to master as the Class of 2026 is effective time management. The Class of 2025 has made us proud as a nation, and I believe that your performance can only improve. The DBE and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) will work jointly in providing intervention support to schools as always, for you to succeed. I wish you all the best,” remarked Deputy Minister Mhaule.
According to Mr Thomas Baloyi, Deputy Chief Education Specialist in the Education Management and Governance Development Directorate, Grade R-12 national learner placement statistics revealed that as of 8 January 2026, a total of 751,499 applications for placement in Grade R were received. Already, 745,320 have been placed and matched with schools, only 6,179 were still being processed. The number of unplaced Grade R learners will continue to reduce significantly, as this is an ongoing process.