The DBE and the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) are making inroads in terms of realigning curriculum intervention with apex priorities set out in the 7th Administration. The current administration has identified foundation learning and professional teacher training and development as key levers in turning the South African schooling system around. Both priorities were escalated for G20 deliberations in the 2025 school calendar and were fully endorsed by the majority of delegates within the international community.

In the pursuit of the 7th Administration priorities, the DBE's Director-General, Mr Mathanzima Mweli, took his Education District and Learner Support Programme to several schools across all 75 education districts where a synopsis of district performance was tabled for provincial and national intervention. The integration of Grade R into primary education at the General Education and Training (GET) level, remains a cornerstone in the consolidation of foundations for learning in South Africa. Although many education districts applauded the DBE for prioritising foundational learning, the acceleration of teacher training and recruitment processes dominated the discussions, facilitated during the Director-General's engagement sessions, organised as part of his programme. Engagement sessions have been conducted in the Free State, Northern Cape and North West Provinces.

According to Mr Mweli, more than 47 education districts in the Western Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and North West Provinces, have already participated in the programme. The remaining 28 education districts are in the Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and Limpopo Provinces. During the past three months, DG Mweli has been consistently engaging education district officials to ensure uniformity in terms of strengthening foundational learning at the GET level. In several engagement sessions, the data on Foundation, Intermediate, and Senior Phases, has revealed learning gaps in home languages, especially in the GET band. The data further revealed a stagnant participation and anticipated success rate in Maths, Science and Technology (MST) subjects, including Computer Applications Technology (CAT), subjects offered within the Vocational and Occupational Stream as well as Accounting. Various education experts, including subject advisors, curriculum specialists, circuit managers, and district directors said that the programme will promote sharing of best practice in the Basic Education Sector, urging the sector to review curriculum intervention strategies to ensure positive outcomes in improving quality learning and teaching in schools. They further stated that the registration of Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres was at an advanced stage since many ECD centres have already been successfully registered to qualify for a government subsidy.

Director-General Mweli indicated that the sector is undoubtedly stronger in support of the FET band but remained less effective in addressing learning deficits in the Foundation Phase: “However, through this intervention we will be able to get to the bottom of issues and intervene where necessary. The Education District and Learner Support Programme continues to be one of the most vital tools aimed at activating a culture of accountability at various levels of the education structures in South Africa.” He added that a solution to learning deficits encountered in Grade 8 can be addressed if the GET band was better resourced. “I suggest that education districts adopt a scaffolding model to ensure that learning gaps are given much needed attention in the early years of children's schooling. This means that subject advisors in all phases from Foundation to the FET Phase must work together or rather rotate to share curriculum challenges and consolidate tailored strategies to improve learning outcomes. He indicated that Foundation Phase teachers should be capacitated to strengthen language teaching whilst promoting a culture of reading in schools. Education districts must utilise the Funza Lushaka bursaries to recruit suitable teachers in the GET band. There must be advocacy to emphasise the importance of home languages in a child’s cognitive level and parents should be involved in such undertakings.”