The Department of Basic Education (DBE) hosted a 24-member delegation from Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports on a benchmarking visit to South Africa from 27 to 31 July 2026. The visit formed part of Uganda’s ongoing education reform efforts with a focus on foundational learning; curriculum reform; assessment; language policy; teacher development; and social cohesion. The delegation, led by Mr Julius Tayebwa, Under Secretary in Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports, commenced its programme at the DBE, where it was welcomed by Ms Simoné Geyer, Deputy Director-General for Delivery and Support, and the Acting Deputy Director-General in the Office of the Director-General.

In her opening remarks, Ms Geyer noted that this was a continuation of the growing cooperation between the two countries, following a Ugandan delegation’s visit in November 2025 to learn about South Africa’s Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes. She expressed the DBE’s hope that the engagement would strengthen bilateral relations and lay the foundation for future cooperation in basic education.

Mr Tayebwa highlighted Uganda’s intention to learn from South Africa’s experiences as it advances its own education reforms. “Our aim is to share experiences, innovations and ideas that will help improve Uganda’s education system. We are reviewing our curriculum and assessment policies and wanted to benchmark against an African country that understands our context. We believe African challenges require African solutions, which is why we chose South Africa as one of the countries from which to learn,” he said.

During the visit, South Africa showcased key reforms, including initiatives to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy, and the implementation of the National Reading Literacy Strategy; how assessment data can be used to improve learning outcomes; teacher development strategies; and social mobilisation in schools together with the overview of South Africa’s basic education system. Uganda shared progress on its competency-based curriculum; continuous assessment initiatives; and measures to improve access, quality, and inclusion. A key theme throughout the visit was the importance of foundational learning as the basis for educational success. Discussions focused on strategies to improve reading for meaning; strengthen language instruction; and ensure assessment is used not only to measure achievement but also to improve teaching and learning.

The second day of the programme was hosted by the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), where discussions centred on assessment; teacher development; and educational innovation. South African and Ugandan officials, academics, and education specialists explored how assessment systems can be used to improve learning outcomes and support competency-based education. The delegation then visited Sekampaneng Primary School and Lehwelereng Secondary School in Hammanskraal, as well as Meerhof School, an inclusive education school in Hartbeespoort. The schools presented their academic programmes; learner support initiatives; use of technology; achievements; challenges; and community partnerships, providing valuable opportunities for sharing best practice. The final leg of the visit took place at the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto Campus, where discussions focused on initial teacher education and teacher professional development. The Ugandan delegation expressed appreciation for the DBE’s coordination of the visit and indicated its intention to pursue the formalisation of cooperation between the two ministries through the negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).