A series of Provincial Education izindaba facilitated by the G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) in provinces, undertaken by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in collaboration with the National Education Collaboration Trust, have now come to an end. The G20 EdWG has officially concluded the provincial education izindaba with the Eastern Cape Province at the East London International Convention Centre on 21 August 2025. The G20 Provincial Education izindaba were initiated following the assumption of South Africa’s G20 Presidency on 1 December 2024. The G20 deliberations in the education arena have been guided by key priority areas including Quality Foundational Learning and Education Professional Development for a Changing World. 

The improvement of literacy and numeracy; institutionalisation of Early Childhood Development (ECD) in the Basic Education Sector; effective implementation of the mother tongue-based bilingual education (MTbBE) in schools; and acceleration of professional development for foundation phase teachers, were among critical issues that were tabled for discussion during the izindaba. According to the G20 EdWG, the first five years of life are a period of unparalleled brain development. During this time, children form the cognitive, emotional, and social foundations that shape their lifelong capacity to learn, to lead, and to thrive. This is where Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) become not just important, but indispensable.

Several G20 Provincial Education izindaba participants viewed South Africa’s G20 Presidency as an opportunity for the Basic Education Sector to explore effective intervention strategies to be considered in improving literacy and numeracy in South African schools. The izindaba, which featured various topics relating to ECD and teacher training and provisioning, culminated into panel discussion facilitated by education delegation from the academia, civil society and basic education sector. The majority of speakers acknowledged the DBE’s commitment towards strengthening foundational learning, saying that it will enable the Basic Education Sector in addressing learning deficits from the General Education and Training (GET) to Further Education and Training (FET) bands.

Addressing the audience during the EC G20 Provincial Education Indaba, Eastern Cape MEC for Education, Mr Fundile Gade, congratulated the DBE for its sterling work in leading the G20 programmes in the Basic Education Sector and acknowledged the G20 EdWG’s firm decision in keeping the foundational learning across all G20 deliberations. “We have reached a point in time whereby both national and provincial intervention to schools must be shifted entirely to early grade teaching in preparing learners for senior phase. We should ensure that our education system recruits teachers that are equipped with requisite skills to drive quality learning and teaching in the GET band. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Basic Education Ministry for showing leadership in turning the education system around, especially the acceleration of   full-scale implementation of bilingual education at the GET level. As a province, we will cooperate with the DBE in ensuring that the ECD centres operating in school communities comply with necessary registration requirements to provide quality ECD service to children in the province,” acknowledged MEC Gade.

Speaking during the Indaba, Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Mmakgabo Reginah Mhaule, said that Government was committed to strengthening the ECCE ecosystem. “As we work towards strengthening foundational learning, we are expected to expand infrastructure and learning materials for early learning centres. However, we will be required to support the professional development of ECCE practitioners.  This can be achieved if we collaborate with NGOs, communities, and the private sector to scale impact,” added Dr Mhaule. “As we advance our national commitment to foundational literacy and numeracy, we must recognize that no curriculum, no policy, and no budget line can substitute for the power of a well-supported, well-trained teacher. That is why our investments in teacher professional development, mentorship, and induction are not just strategic—they are moral imperatives. We welcome all the inputs brought to our attention through this indaba. We are convinced that your insights into this indaba will be reflected in the G20 National Education Indaba, which will take place at the Century Conference Centre in Cape Town on 25 August 2025. Thank you once more for your active participation in this indaba and honest reflection on issues affecting our education system,” concluded Dr Mhaule.