On 5 September 2025, the Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Dr Reginah Mhaule, undertook an oversight visit to Waterberg District in the Limpopo Province where she conducted a series of engagement sessions with School Management Teams and the learners. As part of her visit, Deputy Minister Mhaule visited Meetsetshehla Secondary School and Laërskool Vaalwater to motivate teachers and learners to aim at achieving a high volume of bachelor passes and distinctions in the upcoming National Senior Certificate (NSC) Examinations.  Part of the dignitaries who supported Deputy Minister Mhaule during her visit were Mr Albert Mammoga Seabi, Member of Parliament and National Representative for the Vaalwater Parliamentary Constituency and senior officials from the Limpopo Department of Education and the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

The visit formed part of Deputy Minister Mhaule’s Oversight Visit and School Monitoring Programme implemented in the Basic Education Sector as part of sustaining uniformity in public schools, especially in improving quality learning outcomes.   The programme also assists the DBE in fostering a stronger collaboration within the Sector.  During her briefing session with school principals; School Governing Bodies (SGBs); SMTs; and district officials, Deputy Minister Mhaule opened a discussion around the performance of the district, intervention strategies implemented in support of schools and challenges that were identified as a possible thread to effective schooling in the district. Overcrowding and learner admission were raised as some areas of concern in the district.

Mr Ngoako Alfred Masekela, Acting District Director for the Waterberg Education District, delivered a detailed presentation on the state of education in the district. He outlined the district’s geographical composition, which encompassed the municipalities of Lephalale, Thabazimbi, Bela-Bela, and Modimolle-Mookgophong. The district comprised 139 primary schools; 56 secondary schools; two combined schools; and 20 independent schools; illustrating its impact in terms of expanding access to quality education in its vicinity. Mr Masekela further shared a valuable presentation detailing Bachelor pass rates for Grade 12 learners from 2010 to 2024 and a track record of leaner performance in Grades 8 and 9. “Our district will work hard to ensure that our districts is counted amongst the top performing districts in the country,” remarked the Acting District Director. During the 2024 NSC Examinations, Limpopo came in at number 6, with a pass rate of 85.01%, which represented an increase of 5.5% from 2023. 

In his address, Mr Seabi said that collective intervention was required to improve the delivery of quality education in schools. “There is a need for Parliament to be present in communities, to listen to petitions, and to respond meaningfully. Education is not merely a service; it is an investment in our nation’s future. In a democratic state like ours, the voices of our people must be heard, and their aspirations should be acknowledged. Parliament is here to ensure that change is possible, guided by the needs and priorities expressed by the people themselves,” he affirmed.

In her keynote address, Deputy Minister Mhaule affirmed the DBE’s commitment towards providing adequate support to schools. “Through oversight visit to our schools, we can detect challenges encountered by various education stakeholders and ultimately, we can provide urgent solutions. The issue of overcrowding demands our urgent attention. We will have to strengthen our cooperation with the Department of Public Works to resolve this issue urgently,” reassured Deputy Minister. She further emphasised a need to align education with the demands of local and global economy, pinpointing the Three Stream Model consisting of academic, vocational and occupational pathways, as one of vital mechanisms needed to prepare learners for future opportunities. Deputy Minister Mhaule urged the district to pay more attention to the performance of Grades 8 and 9, while reinforcing the Department’s holistic commitment towards strengthening foundational learning, targeting specifically the Early childhood development (ECD).