Minister Gwarube, accompanied by Ms Simoné Geyer, DDG for Delivery and Support, and senior DBE officials, briefed the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on the analysis, implications and impact of the President’s 2025 State of the Nation (SoNA) address in Parliament, Cape Town, on 11 March 2025. In addition, the DBE, Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) also provided the Committee with an update on issues pertaining to learner admissions, learner migration trends, gaps and backlogs in learner placements.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on 6 February 2025, under the theme: A nation that works, for all. “Central to our efforts to end poverty and to develop our economy is to provide decent, quality education to every young South African”, the President said. The SoNA address holds significance for the Education Sector, directing the education priorities for the 7^th Administration and expanding access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) for every child; Reading for meaning; implementing Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE); the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme; the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act; and increasing the production of artisans through TVET colleges.

Presidential pronouncements contribute to setting the key government priorities and deliverables. Basic Education Minister, Ms Siviwe Gwarube’s priorities for the 7^th Administration are aligned to the 2025 SoNA. These are: to enhance access to and the quality of ECD; strengthen literacy and numeracy across all schooling phases; expand access to quality inclusive education; improve training and professional development for school leaders and teachers; and to ensure safer and more secure learning environments. Minister Gwarube indicated that the DBE remains committed to previous and new SoNA pronouncements and that improving quality in the system remains an apex priority.

The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education re-emphasised its position that no learner should be left out of school because of the unavailability of education officials to find space for learners and it called for transparency in application processes to ensure equity and access. Ms Joy Maimela, Committee Chairperson, called for transparency with the application processes to ensure that vulnerable learners from disadvantaged communities are also afforded an opportunity to attend schools in the suburbs.