The G20 National Education Indaba, held at Century City, Cape Town, marked the culmination of South Africa’s nine provincial G20 Education Izindaba. These dialogues, held across all provinces, surfaced grounded innovations, urgent challenges, and community-driven solutions. From multilingual classrooms in Gauteng to infrastructure gaps in the North West, the message was clear: global leadership begins with listening at home.More than 400 delegates convened to reflect, strategise, and commit to action. The Indaba brought together national and provincial leaders, social partners, civil society, learners, and international allies to consolidate insights and shape the future of education in the spirit of solidarity, equality and sustainability.

In her remarks, Deputy Minister Dr Reginah Mhaule, reflected on the journey of the provincial Izindaba and the power of inclusive dialogue. “Every province, every classroom, and every learner has a story that must shape our national strategy,” affirmed Deputy Minister Mhaule.

During her keynote address, Minister Siviwe Gwarube, reminded delegates that “leadership on the global stage must be grounded in the experiences of our communities.” She shared the story of Lindiwe and Sipho, two ten-year-olds whose divergent educational journeys illustrate the deep inequalities in access to early learning. “If we want to transform the future,” she said, “we must start at the very beginning, with the foundations of learning.”