Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, has acknowledged the first National Representative Council of Learners (NRCL) following a successful electoral process facilitated by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of South Africa. The election of the Council was conducted during the 3rd Annual National Learner Leadership Summit (NLS25) held at ANEW Hotel, The Lakes in Benoni from 25 to 27 June 2025.

The inauguration of the Council included portfolios such as president and deputy president, secretary and deputy secretary, treasury and three additional members. RCLs are a legislated mechanism under the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, fostering learner participation in governance. Initially, the RCLs were only operating at provincial level through the support of the DBE and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs). The 2025 Summit was strategically organised for learner representatives to draw lessons from the 1976 Youth Uprisings. The Summit coincided with the current South Africa’s presidency of the G20, which includes hosting the Y20 (Youth 20) Summit, the official youth engagement group of the G20.

Mr James Ndlebe, Chief Director for Planning and Implementation Support, was amongst the guests who participated in the Summit. The Summit emerged as a key national platform aligned with the National Strategy on Accelerated Action for Children (NSAAC), a Presidential call to action placing adolescents at the centre of South Africa's developmental agenda. The Summit was supported by various government departments, private sector partners, NGOs, academia and youth-led organisations, who shared keen interest in the empowerment and development of South African youth. It further acted as a powerful incubator for developing young leaders by offering structured opportunities to engage in dialogue, debate and decision-making. The Summit also enhanced learners’ civic competence, their understanding of rights, responsibilities and democratic participation whilst strengthening their agency, or ability to act independently and make informed choices. Critical issues that were tackled during the Summit included Gender-Based Violence (GBV); various forms of bullying; youth unemployment; entrepreneurship and financial education; and the promotion of learner wellness and healthy eating.

In his keynote address, Mr Ndlebe said that the learner leadership initiatives should assist the Basic Education Sector in strengthening school functionality in South Africa: “We must work collectively to address issues that are compromising the holistic development of the youth in the country. South Africa stands at a critical juncture where the wellbeing of its adolescents will determine the country's social and developmental trajectory by 2035. Whilst progress has been made since 1994, signs of stagnation in adolescent health, poverty and psychosocial wellbeing indicate an urgent need for coordinated and transformative interventions. The NSAAC was born out of this imperative, offering a roadmap to accelerate adolescent development through clear national priorities and whole-of-society mobilisation. Its guiding principles include adolescent rights governance, a life-course approach, active participation of adolescents and strategic investment in priority areas. Learners, especially those elected to RCLs, are not only stakeholders but active rights holders”. Mr Ndlebe acknowledged the contribution made by DBE partners in making the 2025 Summit a success. These included the IEC; Old Mutual; the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT), the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Africa Trust; Agape Youth Movement; and the Mr Price Foundation.