Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, used her address to more than 850 school principals to urge them to double their efforts in ensuring that schools are adequately capacitated to factor in the correct use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the holistic development of learners across all primary and secondary schools in the country. Minister Gwarube delivered her keynote address at the 2026 South Africa Principals Association (SAPA) National Conference organised under the theme: Future Foward Leadership, Tomorrow's schools, Today. The SAPA Conference is currently underway at Bolivia Lodge in the Limpopo Province and will continue until 6 September 2026.

Minister Gwarube highlighted the impact of school principals in improving school leadership and governance, especially in aligning the Basic Education Sector with the priorities of the 7th Administration, which include amongst others, the  strengthening of quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes and foundational learning;  intensifying the provision of school infrastructure and the promotion of school safety; improving literacy and numeracy through effective implementation of Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education across all schooling phases, as well as expanding participation rates in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.

The Conference received messages of support from various key speakers including the Limpopo MEC for Education, Ms Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng, a Founder of Adopt a learner Foundation and National SAPA President, Dr Rich Ramulumo. All three speakers emphasised the importance of adopting AI for tomorrow's schools. In her address, Prof Phakeng said that the Basic Education Sector was well on track in identifying foundational learning as one of its key priorities, but cautioned that the correct use of AI should be safeguarded at all cost. Dr Ramulumo encouraged the school principals to broaden their horizons to turn schools into centres of excellence. “The world is changing at an unprecedented pace. AI, digital technologies, climate changes and rapid changing economies, are reshaping the skills our learners will need in future. Therefore, our learners deserve schools that are agile. Our teachers deserve leaders who inspire; we must use this Conference to network to excel in our leadership role in our respective schools,” added Dr Ramulumo.

MEC Lerule-Ramakhanya informed the SAPA Conference participants that the Sector was determined to achieve quality learning outcomes to make it easy for learners to articulate into their preferred career pathways beyond Grade 12: “I would like to thank you for the sterling work you do in strengthening curriculum coverage in the schools you lead. The future is not a distant land. It is being built, minute by minute, in the classrooms of our rural villages, our townships, and our cities. It is built into the lessons you design, the conversations you have with struggling teachers, the safe spaces you create for bullied children, the expectations you set for every learner”.

In her address, Minister Gwarube expressed her appreciation to the SAPA leadership for its contribution towards strengthening school leadership and governance. “Principals are the people who turn policy into practice. You are the people who teachers look up to when the work becomes difficult. You are the people who parents hold accountable when their children struggle. And, most importantly, you are the people who create the conditions in which 13.7 million children will either thrive or fall behind. We meet at a defining moment for basic education. We are currently strengthening Early Childhood Development. ECD registrations have increased by 200% since 2021. Last year alone we registered 13,300 ECD centres. Approximately 1.2 million children are now accessing ECD programmes, giving more children a stronger start before Grade 1. About 900,000 of these children have access to an ECD subsidy, helping to address hunger and developmental risks before Grade 1. As these children enter formal schooling, they must acquire education in safe learning environments but not fall prey to perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence. I want to challenge every school principal to submit their teachers for vetting against the National Child Protection Register to ensure that we close every gap to safeguard our system. The future of South Africa is sitting in your classrooms. Let us go out there and lead with courage, discipline, and abiding love for South Africa. Let us therefore build strong foundations for strong futures.”