Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule, delivered the keynote address at the 10th International Research Symposium on Project-Based Learning (IRSPBL) K-12 Conference held at The Capital Empire in Sandton, Gauteng Province on 17 November 2025. The deliberations during the Conference centred on the theme: “Reimagining Classrooms: Global PBL Perspective”.

The Conference was organised by the Future Nation Schools, in partnership with several key partners, including the First Rand Foundation, the Zenex Foundation and Kagiso Trust. Various international delegations from India, China and Denmark were also in attendance. The PBL is viewed as a critical model in the acceleration of education reform in South Africa, especially in the advancement of the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS). The PBL consists of various components including Authentic challenges; Student-centred approach; In-depth learning; Collaboration; Iterative process; and the Teacher as a guide.

In his opening remarks, Dr Sizwe Nxasana, CEO of the Sifiso Learning Group, indicated that, although Future Nation Schools and the Sifiso Learning Group are independently administered, they found it befitting to enrol the PBL in public schools across all nine provinces. “We have managed to introduce the PBL in eight provinces and our main goal is to onboard all provinces during the 2026 school calendar. We have gathered here to share best practice in the implementation of PBL, which is a vital concept aimed at transforming classroom practices for the better”.

Deputy Minister Mhaule described the PBL as a transformative paradigm since it was rooted in constructivist theory and experiential education, adding that it positions learners as active agents in constructing knowledge through meaningful engagement with real-world problems. DM Mhaule provided an example: “Picture a classroom in Gauteng where learners huddle around a table strewn with cardboard, markers, and recycled electronics; they are building a solar-powered water purifier for their community. The teacher moves between groups like a conductor, guiding, listening, nudging. This is not a lesson. It is a living laboratory. And it is the heartbeat of active learning pedagogies such as PBL. PBL shifts learning from memorisation to meaning, from passive absorption to active creation. It cultivates the ability to ask better questions, synthesise diverse perspectives, and apply knowledge in novel contexts. Learners become problem-solvers, collaborators, and reflective practitioners, skills that matter far beyond the classroom. Teachers are the cornerstone of successful Project-Based Learning; their ability to shift from traditional instruction to becoming facilitators of inquiry, designers of authentic learning experiences, and mentors for real-world problem-solving determines whether PBL thrives or fails”.