How does South Africa's education stack up in the G20?
Image: Courtney Africa/Independent Newspapers (Archives)
Educational challenges remain one of the key talking points that the country has been focusing on as part of its G20 presidency, building on what has come before and helping shape solutions in the process.
The G20 Education Working Group (EdWG) was established during the Argentinian Presidency in 2018. Subsequent presidencies all incorporated the EdWG as a permanent Working Group of the Sherpa track.
Since 2018, several educational challenges have been dealt with by the G20 EdWG, including: strengthening learning outcomes; equitable access; technological tools, digitalisation and digital technologies in education, universal quality education, financing, partnerships for education; international cooperation; skills for life and work; early childhood care and education (ECCE); universal quality education; and a focus on education for sustainable development.
The country is hosting the EdWG, cognisant of the fact that South Africa, as part of the troika from 2024 to 2026, will build upon the achievements of India and Brazil to ensure continuity in taking forward the development agenda.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
South Africa's three priorities for education are: 'Inclusive Economic Growth, Industrialisation, Employment and Inequality', 'Food Security' and lastly 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Innovation for Sustainable Development'.
The country has also embraced the theme 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability' for its G20 presidency.
Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, has been playing her part to make sure that education stakeholders across the country are being heard by holding a series of indabas across the provinces, which fit into South Africa's education agenda, ahead of a planned national indaba.
While at the Western Cape Provincial Education G20 Indaba, Gwarube sat down to not only tackle the topic of South Africa's education priorities, but also how South Africa is faring against the rest of the nations in the G20.
'I think the strategic opportunity for having the G20 presidency is that we are not only pushing our three themes, but we also have an opportunity now to put some of the things that we think are pertinent in education on the global stage.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube.
Image: Supplied
'For instance, the mutual recognition of skills would be a massive game-changer for South Africa, because it would mean that South African young people who acquire skills in a particular field can be recognised across the world. If we can get that agreement, amongst the G20 countries, that would be great, especially for young people who've acquired particular qualifications,' Gwarube said.
She added that the presidency also allows South Africa to put ECCE on the global stage.
'Many of the G20 countries that are going to be coming here have made the strategic reorientation years ago, where they're focused on the foundations of learning, where they've done the investment, and I think with us and Brazil and India, we're going to be some really powerful voices in the global South that says, 'look, we want to follow suit'.'
Gwarube explained that the focus on foundational learning can yield up to 2% GDP growth for a country, fix the literacy crisis, and impact on learners' ability to tackle historically challenging subjects like maths and science.
'We may not be on par with many of the G20 countries that are coming here, but we are certainly having the conversation and saying, it's not that we don't want to be benchmarked against the best of the best; we will continue benchmarking ourselves against the rest of the world.'
Universities themselves are having to contend with the impact of technology, where in one instance, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Professor Brandon Collier-Reed, announced that the Senate's Teaching and Learning Committee endorsed the UCT AI in Education Framework in June 2025.
Collier-Reed said the endorsement of the framework was a result of UCT moving with the times, as 'artificial intelligence technologies are becoming part of our daily lives'.
'Staff and students are using tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in innovative and productive ways; while at other times these technologies present significant challenges, requiring us to rethink teaching pedagogies, assessment practices and the fundamentals of what a university experience should be, and what our qualifications should signify in a changing world,' he said.
Professor Maniraj Sukdaven from the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria, with attendees at the G20 Interfaith Forum last week.
Image: G20 Interfaith Forum / Facebook
Professor Maniraj Sukdaven from the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria echoed how technology has impacted education, and said that across the education spectrum, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is leaving its mark.
'It plays a significant role, but it also has cut down research time for students, and there is a downside to that. When AI is used in the instances of education, more specifically in the Master's and PhD programmes, AI is what it is - it is artificial. Simply meaning is that sometimes the citations and referencing don't correspond with what they are saying.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
5 hours ago
- The Citizen
Teacher unions yet to react to Bela Act regulations
With the 5 September deadline looming, Sadtu and Naptosa say they are finalising their positions on the Bela Act regulations. The country's leading teacher trade unions are still consulting on the new dual sets of regulations pertaining to the Basic Education Law Amendment (Bela) Act recently gazetted by Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube. The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and the National Profession Teachers Organisation of SA (Naptosa) appear to be in no hurry, despite the deadline of 5 September being around the corner. The minister issued the regulations for public comments on 6 August and the public has until 5 September to submit their comments. Focus on admissions and school capacity The two sets of regulations deal with school admissions and the determination of school capacity. The admissions and capacity draft regulations are the first instalment in the process. Instead of releasing all the regulations at once, the minister opted for a 'modular release approach'. She promised a public awareness campaign would be launched to enable the public to make informed comments. ALSO READ: Bela Act: Here's how you can have your say on school regulations in South Africa Key issues raised in the regulations Among issues discussed in the regulations are proof of immunisation before the enrolment of a pupil, admission refusal, language and curricula preferences, classroom capacity and pupil-teacher ratios, special education needs and school zoning or admission of non-South Africans or children of undocumented immigrants. Dear South Africa (DearSA), a civil society organisation that facilitates public comments on public legislative and policy issues, noted the short time remaining. DearSA managing director Rob Hutchinson encouraged the public to make submissions. Deadline pressure for public submissions Public comments should be submitted to parliament for consideration by the portfolio committee on basic education before the deadline. Some people are using the DearSA website platform. Both Sadtu and Naptosa said they would make comprehensive comments later. Naptosa executive director Basil Manuel said the teacher unions were involved in drafting the regulations and were consulted by the department of basic education. 'We are working on our response, but the fact that we were part of the drafting process doesn't mean we agree with everything that has been published around the admissions and capacity. ALSO READ: Bela Act: Here's how many kids should be in your child's classroom Teacher unions consult their members 'We are just happy that the regulations were published at all, but we are worried about the passage of time without the other regulations being made public,' Manuel said. Manuel said Naptosa was consulting broadly with members before formulating a comprehensive report. The union would hold a webinar soon to discuss the matter and hear the views of members. It would have wrapped up its position by 27-28 August and then make an announcement. Sadtu general secretary Mugwena Maluleke said the union's response would be ready as soon as their lawyers had finished it. Bridging the gap Gwarube was expected to formulate regulations after the Bela Act was passed and signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May last year. The regulations are the last hope to bridge the gap between parties which disagreed on the passing of the controversial legislation. The DA and Freedom Front Plus opposed the Act. But soon after the regulations were gazetted on 5 August, the DA welcomed them. NOW READ: Gwarube calls for bold education law reforms to address inequality
Eyewitness News
18 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Calls for African unity can't override countries' laws, say civil society leaders
JOHANNESBURG - Some civil society leaders have warned that calls for unity in Africa cannot supersede any country's laws as the continent discusses challenges on migration. This is part of efforts to find solutions to common challenges in Africa and globally. The C20 tabled its initial policy draft brief in Pretoria on Wednesday, which also features contributions from African countries not represented at the G20. The latest meeting of the grouping of civil organisations – including non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – comes amid tensions between some lobby groups, some political parties and foreign nationals at hospitals and clinics. ALSO READ: Civil society leaders criticise slow uptake of transformation policies by global govts Operation Dudula is among the groups that believe foreign nationals are putting strain on the country's already stretched resources. The C20 chairperson, Thulani Tshefuta, said a pro-African agenda cannot come at the risk of flouting the country's laws. 'The pan-African approach does not suspend the law. There is no country that can agree to be lawless in any society. We stand firm, like any other country would do, that entry into South Africa must be regulated in the manner in which any other country would do.' But Tshefuta added that there is a line to draw. 'What we might not support it's illegal attacks, assaults and burning of people. When we raise those, we say there are things that must be done to solve our migration challenge, and they must be done by government and its agencies.'
IOL News
20 hours ago
- IOL News
South Africa's G20 Presidency: Strategic diplomacy in a shifting global order
South Africa has taken the G20 Presidency at a time when the global order is in flux, with experts saying that President Cyril Ramaphosa will have to engage in the kind of strategic diplomacy witnessed during his visit to the White House. Image: GCIS South Africa, as chair of the G20 Summit 2025, at a time when the international system is plagued by uncertainty due to the shifting global order, needs to manage its relationships with various powers strategically, balancing its interests with the West and the East to achieve desired outcomes, experts say. The Group of Twenty (G20) is an international forum of both developing and developed countries that seeks to find solutions to global economic and financial issues, and its Presidency rotates annually among the members. Dr Sonja Theron, a lecturer in Security Studies at the University of Pretoria's Department of Political Sciences, said as the chair of the G20, South Africa is given an agenda-setting role and can influence which topics make it to the table. 'The G20 is ultimately a forum – a place for conversation. The directions those conversations take will be influenced by existing relationships and power dynamics, where South Africa holds some, but not extensive, agency and power. And ultimately, conversation may or may not lead to action,' Theron said. She noted that the international system is plagued with uncertainty due to the shifting global order. To navigate this to achieve desired outcomes, South Africa will have to carefully understand what leverage it does and does not have, and use this in directed and intentional efforts, and engage in the kind of strategic diplomacy witnessed during President Cyril Ramaphosa's visit to the White House, Theron said. She added that South Africa has often tried to position itself as a bridging actor between multiple forums and global camps such as the G7 and BRICS members within the G20, but this has often led to having to walk a fine line between partners, and Russia and the USA are prime examples. 'It is crucial that South Africa not overplay its hand and focus on where it has influence to exercise agency. This does not mean that South Africa needs to abandon its goals or principles but rather think strategically on where and how these can be advanced. 'We are witnessing a global withdrawal from multilateral processes and solutions. As such, South Africa should focus on incremental but transformative steps towards a more equitable world order. This could include initiatives that focus on more effective information gathering, sharing, and analysis, such as the Common Carbon Credit Data Model, the Borrowers' Forum, and a Panel of Technical Experts to uncover the barriers to development in the global debt and finance system,' Theron said. On South Africa's presidency push for a more robust and transparent funding mechanism for countries affected by climate change, she said, such a large-scale initiative would be difficult to achieve in the current global climate. 'Not only are global powers less inclined to multilateralism, they are also less interested or incentivised to provide financial assistance. To achieve this, South Africa would need to build or leverage its relationships with the Global South and with global powers to ensure that the issue is championed across multiple forums and decision-making platforms,' Theron added. On the de-dollarisation as a central theme in the BRICS, she said, 'Taking a hard stance on de-dollarisation, in line with the BRICS agenda, will alienate the US further. South Africa's options are then to either take a more moderate stance or prepare for the fallout of a strong position.' Professor Fulufhelo Netswera, the executive dean for the Faculty of Management Sciences at the Durban University of Technology, said the G20's participation of South Africa and its leadership will not yield anything substantive. 'The president of the US is not going to come here. So that in itself tells us that they don't care about South Africa's Presidency of the G20, and they are not going to care about the outcomes of that gathering,' Netswera said. He highlighted that he doesn't think that the G20 has ever done anything meaningful, if 'we' go historically by resolutions taken. 'Not much has been implemented coming from this group. It's a good group. I think big nations need to sit now and again, remind themselves about their commitment to humanity and to not destroy each other, and trade fairly, which is all good and nice,' he said. On the reform of the Bretton Woods institutions, he said all the countries, including BRICS nations, have been talking about the lack of reform of the United Nations, the Security Council, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organisation.
