The National Development Plan (NDP) Vision for 2030 and the Department of Basic Education’s Action Plan 2024: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2030, call for the development of the skillsets needed to ensure employability and the development of skills for the 21st Century.
In addition, the Integrated National Mathematics, Science and Technology Strategy (2019-2030), and its implications for Provincial Education Department (PED) planning and implementation, emphasise the relevance and urgency of the Focus Schools Programme with the White Paper for Post-School Education and Training (2013) envisaging a system made up of a diverse range of education institutional types that provide knowledge and skills for the economy and the production of 10,000 artisans per year and matriculants from all other Focus Fields.
The three categories of schools include Public Ordinary Schools (POSs); Special Schools for learners with disabilities and other special educational needs; and Focus Schools for learners with special talents. The Guidelines and requirements for the re-engineering and strengthening of Focus Schools were drafted to facilitate purposeful implementation of the Focus Schools and presented to the Head of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) on 14 April 2025, with an overwhelming positive response received from Broad Management, Senior Management as well as HEDCOM.
The resolutions from the Three Stream Think Tank will be considered for expansion of Focus Schools. Two options for implementation of the expansion programme: 1. Identification of low hanging fruits such as those schools which abandoned the offering of specialisation subjects as well as volunteering schools; and 2. Expansion of two focus schools per district by converting the current existing schools. An audit of the current existing focus schools will be concluded by the end of May 2025. The MST Grant will be reconfigured for the expansion of Focus Schools, along with the top-slicing of a percentage of the Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG) based on the 2025/26 audit for approval of a new grant by National Treasury. The DBE will be working closely with partners, NGOs and Universities and a SETA Sector Colloquium is planned for June.
Focus Schools Expansion champions will be appointed within the various PEDs and Districts with a call for voluntary participation and a Management Plan for the resuscitation of Focus Schools. A roadshow with identified schools within the provinces is anticipated for August for the submission of Business Plans and a suggestion for a different approach to governance instead of normal SGBs. Development and finalisation of the Partnership Guidelines and Resource Mobilisation Strategy for mobilisation of resources, particularly infrastructure and high and advanced-tech machinery and equipment will be required. Existing facilities will be converted and repurposed. A Human Resource Strategy has been developed with six pillars, focusing on the teacher the sector requires, along with opportunities for continuing professional development and ongoing reporting and monitoring. Post-provisioning norms will be revised by June 2026. An advocacy strategy will also be developed as part of the sector rollout plan.
Focus Schools, as part of the Three Stream Model, will contribute to the creation of multiple learning pathways (academic, vocational and occupational) to ensure the diversification of subjects and the skills of South African learners for future employability.