The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has partnered with CANVA to host the 12th edition of the National Education Excellence Awards (NEEAs) at the NH Hotel in Sandton, Johannesburg on 24 July 2026, under the theme: “Strong Foundations, Strong Futures”. The NEEAs recognise the crucial role played by districts in the education ecosystem, whilst celebrating exceptional performance and innovation within the country's education system.
Education Districts are the glue that holds the basic education ecosystem together, along with the support from Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) to improve the functionality of schools across the country. The winners are selected from districts across the nine provinces, and the awards honour outstanding districts, schools, and educators for their efforts in improving the quality of learning and teaching.
Ahead of the NEEAs, the DBE Ministry convened a meeting with all 75 District Directors in Johannesburg. The agenda included, amongst others, Progress on the Strategic Reorientation of the sector to strengthen the foundations of learning; Progress on the vetting of educators against the National Child Protection Register and National Register for Sex Offenders; and the Financial Stability of Provincial Education departments. “A healthy education system rests heavily on the quality of leadership,” Basic Education Minister, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, said.
Minister Gwarube added that “as District Directors, you occupy one of the most demanding leadership positions in public education. You carry the responsibility of ensuring that every school under your care has the support it needs to succeed, even when there are not enough resources. You are expected to respond to crises while planning for the future. You balance accountability with encouragement, balance performance management with partnership, and invariably balance urgency with long-term improvement. You and your subject advisors worked beyond ordinary hours to assist teachers. Your circuit managers guided school leaders through difficult circumstances. Your officials followed up, intervened and helped schools to find solutions. To every District Director represented here, your leadership has helped demonstrate that excellence can be found in every part of our country. Districts are therefore central not only to matric performance, but to the entire learning journey, from the earliest years to Grade 12. “Weak foundations narrow subject choices later, increase the risk of repetition and dropout, and make successful completion of schooling more difficult. Since assuming office, this administration has made one priority unmistakably clear: We must strengthen the foundations of learning. Because strong foundations create strong futures”.
Minister Gwarube and Deputy Minister, Dr Reginah Mhaule, presented the awards to deserving district candidates across a variety of categories and all school quintiles. District categories include: Top Performing District – Districts that achieved the highest overall percentage pass in the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations: District serving up to 400 Schools; and District serving over 400 Schools; Most Improved District – District with most improvement in NSC; Top Performing District – A focus on Highest Number of Bachelor Passes in 2025; Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Accounting; Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Mathematics; Highest NSC Participation versus Achievement in Physical Science; Excellence in District Leadership and Management; and Excellence in Support for Improving Primary Schools Learning Outcomes.
School categories include: Top Performing Public Ordinary School – School that achieved the highest overall score in the 2025 NSC examinations using the quality performance indicators criteria (Quintile 1 to 5); Top performing Full-Service School; Upkeep and Maintenance of School Facilities: Primary Schools; Upkeep and Maintenance of School Facilities: Secondary Schools; and the Special Ministerial Award.