Commemorated on 16 May annually, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has identified the theme for the 2026 International Day of the Boy Child as: “Breaking the Silence: Boys Positive Masculinity and Mental Health”, with a month-long focus on uplifting and empowering the South African boy child.

In her message on the International Day of the Boy Child, Minister Gwarube said: “It is a reminder that every boy deserves an opportunity to learn, to grow, to feel safe and to believe that his future matters. As a country, we must also confront the uncomfortable reality that too many boys are falling out of our education system before they complete school. Too many disengage from learning, struggle without support and lose hope in the opportunities ahead of them. This matters not only for those boys and their families, but for the future of our country. We need to ensure that boys remain engaged in school, that they are supported academically and emotionally and that they are encouraged to pursue pathways that unlock opportunity, including Mathematics, Science, Technology and Vocational Education and the skills needed in a changing economy. Schools have an important role to play in shaping young boys into responsible, respectable and confident young men. But this responsibility belongs to all of us, parents, teachers, coaches, faith leaders and communities. We must raise boys who understand that strength is not found in violence, intimidation or silence, but in discipline, responsibility, empathy and respect for others. To every boy in South Africa today, your future matters, your education matters, your potential matters and we will continue working to build an education system that gives you support and opportunity and the foundation that you need to succeed. When we invest in our boys, we invest in stronger families, safer communities and a stronger South Africa”.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States increasingly recognise the need to engage boys and young men in gender equality efforts, yet interventions rarely treat them as beneficiaries, typically casting them only as agents of social norm change. Through the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) initiative, the DBE has identified a critical gap: limited data on boys' specific vulnerabilities undermines effective programming. Rigid masculinity norms cause measurable harm. Boys are socialised to suppress emotion through family, peers, media and education, leading to resentment, depression, behavioural disorders and violence. Over 50% of boys in sub-Saharan Africa experience physical abuse during childhood. Many disengage from education or adopt risky behaviours to conform to expectations of "real manhood". The DBE’s Thrive by Five Report indicates that, even before boys are exposed to these social issues, they are already behind girls in terms of school readiness and learning foundational skills.