Dr Aaron Nkosi, Director for Curriculum Research and Development, has confirmed that the DBE has been making headway in respect of the strengthening of policy, framework and guidelines in the establishment of Focus Schools / Schools of Specialisation (SoS). “These schools will, as part of the Three Stream Model (TSM), contribute to the creation of multiple learning pathways (academic, vocational and occupational) across 12 organising fields, to ensure the diversification of subjects and the skills of South African learners for future employability,” he added.
Feedback received from the Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) and Council of Education Ministers (CEM) meetings on 2 and 15 September 2025 respectively, have been incorporated into the nine guiding documents ahead of the follow-up CEM meeting scheduled for 21 November to indicate the way forward. Based on the recommendations, the Guidelines on Terminology for class sizes instead of teacher: pupil ratio have been amended; and a draft Business Model; Funding Model; and Criteria for the designation of Focus Schools have been completed for submission.
The purpose of the draft Business Model is to provide a strategic, sustainable, and implementable framework for establishing and operationalising SoS within the education system, serving as a comprehensive guide to align policy; governance; human resources; funding; industry collaboration; and innovation within a single coherent model.
The draft Funding Model will establish a sustainable, equitable, and diversified financial framework that ensures the long-term viability of SoS. The Norms and Standards for School Funding will be reviewed and customised per learner allocation. The MST and EIG grants will be leveraged to resource the growth of focus schools while safeguarding their existing mandates, ensuring that present responsibilities and future expansion are adequately funded; private sector partnerships and donations; a fee model with minimal fees, bursaries for disadvantaged learners; and a revenue generating commercial arm.
The purpose of the Draft Criteria for the designation of SoS is to provide a clear, consistent, and equitable framework for identifying, designating, and supporting SoS across the South African basic education system.
The following documents have been compiled: the list of proper Focus Schools, along with the Draft Policy for Focus Schools; the Draft Criteria for the selection of Principals for Focus Schools; the Draft 10-Year Plan for implementation of Focus Schools; and a Draft time-tabling model for SoS that incorporates Work-Integrated Learning (WIL). Post Provisioning will be clarified in the revised Post Provisioning Norms (PPN) and Personnel Administrative Measures (PAM) in early 2026.
The purpose of the SoS Policy is to define, standardise, and guide how specialised schools are identified, established, managed, and supported for equitable education access. The Draft Criteria for the selection of Principals for Focus Schools will ensure that only competent and industry-aligned leaders are appointed to manage these institutions. The purpose of the PPN for SoS is to establish an equitable, flexible, and responsive staffing model that ensures the effective deployment of teaching and support personnel; and alignment between human resource provisioning and the specialized curriculum offered. The Time Tabling Model will optimize learner exposure to both academic and specialized subjects. The 10-Year Implementation Plan (2026–2035) will provide a structured, phased roadmap for the establishment, development, and institutionalization of SoS, whilst translating the SoS Business Model into actionable implementation steps and guiding coordinated action to ensure quality and consistency in the rollout.
Re-engineering and strengthening of Focus Schools in line with the TSM will ensure compliance to the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision for 2030 for the development of the skillsets needed for the 21st Century. The three categories of schools include Public Ordinary Schools; Special Schools for learners with disabilities and special educational needs; and Focus Schools for learners with special talents.