The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule, this week, conducted School Monitoring and Oversight Visits in the Mpumalanga Province. The schools visited included the KwaShuku Secondary School and the KwaMatshamhlophe Primary School in the Mkhondo East Education District and the Zendelingspost Combined School in the Mkhondo West Education District on 15 and 16 April 2026, respectively.

Deputy Minister Mhaule conducted these visits as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen oversight and provide targeted support where it was needed most, including engagements with School Management Teams (SMTs), School Governing Bodies (SGBs), learners, and key stakeholders within the schooling community, ensuring a collaborative approach to improving the quality of education.

The visits to KwaShuku Secondary and KwaMatshamhlophe Primary Schools in Piet Retief focussed on strengthening teaching and learning, as well as providing on-site support to educators and school management teams. At KwaShuku Secondary School, the Deputy Minister received a warm welcome from principals and school staff before engaging with learners. This top-performing school achieved an outstanding 96.7% matric pass rate in 2025. Dr Mhaule commended their strong academic performance and encouraged them to maintain their momentum in pursuit of a 100% pass rate through consistent attendance, discipline, and hard work. She further advised learners to respect their teachers, attend school daily, and remain committed to their studies to improve their academic performance. Echoing this message, the principal and school staff encouraged learners to take up the challenge, leading by example in their classrooms and inspiring their peers, not only to enhance educational outcomes but also to positively transform their own lives.

At Zendelingspost Combined School, issues regarding transport and school infrastructure were discussed. The school has, over the last three years, shown an improvement in their Matric pass rate from 38% to 65.9%. Deputy Minister Mhaule addressed the learners, encouraging them to remain focussed on their studies and to attend all classes to improve the matric pass rate of the school, motivating learners by saying that education can change their future regardless of their background. Deputy Minister Mhaule was joined by the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour to strengthen collaboration in support of education and skills development. As part of the visit, she also handed over a donation of school shoes to learners in need along with early learning materials to support strong foundational learning.