Basic Education Minister, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, attended a dinner hosted by His Excellency Fumio Shimizu, Ambassador of Japan to South Africa, at the Official Residence in Pretoria on 16 September 2026. The dinner brought together DBE officials, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) representatives and four Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs), currently serving in the Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces.
The engagement provided an opportunity to reflect on the volunteers’ contribution to education and community development in South Africa, particularly in mathematics and science education, sport and disability inclusion. The evening also highlighted the important role of the JOCV programme in strengthening friendship, trust and mutual understanding between Japan and South Africa. Whilst their work is often grassroots and small-scale, the impact of these volunteers extends to learners, people with disabilities and communities across the country.
Minister Gwarube highlighted the importance of the partnership between South Africa and Japan in advancing human capital development and strengthening education systems, emphasising the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE’s) renewed focus on strong foundations, with foundational literacy and numeracy at the centre of efforts to improve learning outcomes. She also underscored the expansion of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and the importance of investing in learners from their earliest years.
“The critical role of Mathematics, Science and Technology in preparing South Africa’s learners for a changing economy cannot be overemphasised and JICA’s contribution towards strengthening mathematics education through technical expertise, teacher development and support for mathematics teaching is appreciated, along with the value added by the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers in strengthening the capacity of teachers and creating meaningful opportunities for learners”. The Minister reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Japan and building on the strong foundation of collaboration between the two nations.