Johannesburg: In a comprehensive progress report, the Director-General of the Department of Basic Education, Hubert Mathanzima Mweli, has revealed significant developments in South Africa’s education landscape, highlighting both achievements and ongoing challenges facing the nation’s school system. ‘The National Development Plan drives the work that we do every day,’ Mweli said, underlining the strategic vision guiding basic education. ‘If you are in basic education, when you wake up every morning, what will come to your mind is to deliver on the imperatives of the National Development Plan.’
According to South African Government News Agency, Mweli provided a detailed technical briefing on the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination cycle, including system readiness, marking and moderation processes, standardisation outcomes and integrity assurance measures. The technical briefing took place at the Mosaek Church in Fairlands, Johannesburg, ahead of the official announcement of the 2025 NSC examination results by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube on Monday evening.
The Director-General reported substantial growth in the education sector, noting an increase of over 200,000 learners entering the system. However, he candidly acknowledged that this growth has not been proportionally matched by an increase in teachers or schools. The report addressed multiple challenges, especially the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on learning. Mweli referred to the Class of 2025, which faced disruptions due to rotational timetables, reduced contact time, and an incomplete curriculum since they started Grade 8 in 2021 during the pandemic.
The Director-General also stressed the importance of vocational training. ‘The future holds better for those who follow the technical scheme,’ he said. President Cyril Ramaphosa has challenged the department to boost technical subject enrolments, aiming to establish ‘a technical school for every circuit’ in the country. The presentation highlighted growing support for learners with special educational needs, with an increase of over 4,000 learners in this category.
Mweli acknowledged a leaked question paper incident but praised the national investigation team for their diligent work. He also noted the exceptional performance of female learners, who are now outperforming their male counterparts. The Director-General remained optimistic about the future, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement and commitment to educational excellence. He called for enhanced psychosocial support for both learners and teachers from the lowest grade onwards.
Meanwhile, he highlighted the achievements of provinces like Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal in various academic metrics. Mpumalanga leads in progress learners’ performance, while KwaZulu-Natal excels in bachelor passes and distinctions. The Director-General emphasized a ‘silent revolution’ in the equitable distribution of bachelor passes, noting that there has been significant progress since 2000.
Lastly, the report acknowledged slight performance drops in some areas. Specifically, learners receiving social grants saw a percentage decrease from 86.06% to 77.70%, although the absolute number of passing learners increased.