On 18 August 2025, the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town became a crucible of bold ideas and strategic resolve as the Western Cape hosted its G20 Education Indaba. Set against the backdrop of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, the gathering brought together provincial leaders, national policymakers, educators, researchers, and civil society to confront one of the country’s most urgent challenges: transforming foundational learning and teacher development.
This was no ordinary policy forum. It was a moment of reckoning—an opportunity to reimagine the architecture of South Africa’s education system from the ground up. The rallying cry to “inverse the pyramid” captured the spirit of the day: a call to shift focus from matriculation results to the foundational years, especially ages 0 to 4, where lifelong trajectories are shaped.
Throughout the Indaba, two imperatives emerged as non-negotiable: quality foundational learning and the professionalisation of the teaching workforce. Western Cape MEC for Education, Mr David Maynier, challenged the status quo, urging an end to “pilotitis”—the proliferation of scattered, small-scale projects—and advocating for the scaling of proven models. Minister Gwarube’s vivid analogy of “two 10-year-olds” underscored the deep systemic inequality that persists, reinforcing the need to start early and stay consistent.
The Indaba spotlighted a suite of innovative approaches to Early Childhood Development (ECD). From home-visiting programmes that empower caregivers as first teachers, to early intervention models that address developmental delays through digital screening and mentorship, the emphasis was clear: scalable, context-sensitive solutions must replace fragmented efforts. The conversation also turned to the urgent need to professionalise the ECD workforce—many of whom earn below subsistence wages—by improving remuneration, creating career pathways, and offering accredited, inclusive training.
Equally central was the future of the teaching profession. Speakers emphasised that education must prepare learners for a world we cannot yet fully envision—and that means investing in teachers, not just training them. Recommendations ranged from modernising initial teacher education and embedding professional learning communities, to reducing administrative burdens and supporting teacher wellbeing. The potential of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) was explored to personalise learning and reduce paperwork, though caution was urged to prevent deepening existing inequities.
What made the Indaba particularly powerful was its insistence that reform must be systemic, collaborative, and sustained. The recent transfer of the ECD function to the Department of Basic Education was framed as a historic opportunity to integrate services across health, education, and social development. Participants called for stronger partnerships, better data systems, and community ownership to unblock funding flows and drive lasting change.
As South Africa leads the G20, the Western Cape’s Indaba served as a compelling reminder that local innovation can shape global agendas. The message was clear: if we want to change the trajectory of disadvantaged children, we must start early, support caregivers and educators, and scale what works. In a world chasing technological breakthroughs, the greatest innovation remains good quality teaching—nurtured from birth, supported by community, and led by empowered professionals.