On 20 November, the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) convened a civil society forum dialogue led by the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga and senior Department of Basic Education officials including the Director General Matanzima Mweli.

The dialogue attended by over 180 educationists representing civil society organisations, provided an update on Basic Education over the year and reflected on developments such as: Early Childhood Development (ECD); Reading; Curriculum Strengthening and the Three Stream Model; the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) and the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Programme. The dialogue further identified priorities for 2024 academic year, including readiness for the re-opening of schools.

The minister and her team provided an overview of the priorities, themes and focal points that emerged over the academic year. Reading improvement was a significant feature in the department’s imperatives, which was punctuated by the release of the PIRLS 2021 report in May this year. With learners having to contend with language switching between their home language and mother tongue inside the classroom, the department put an emphasis on confronting African language instruction policy and pedagogy. There is greater focus now on looking at language and pedagogy much more broadly. With the support of the NECT and the Zenex Foundation, the year saw an introduction of more African language readers into the system. Guided by the National Integrated Reading Plan, there was also a focus on galvanizing the sector, parents, and civil society to support reading in and outside the classroom.

Following the migration of the ECD function from the Department of Social Development to the DBE, the minister outlined the efforts to develop policies, processes and address management and administrative issue related to the function shift.

Additionally, the department and the NECT delivered a successful programme on Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL). With a prevalence of suicide due to depression, socio-economic issues such as substance use and teenage pregnancy amongst learners, there was a concerted effort to raise awareness of these issues for learners, teachers and the wider community.

The dialogue was well received by civil society community as it provided a two-way consultative platform for both parties to stay abreast of key developments in the sector heading into the new academic year. In closing, Minister Motshekga expressed the department’s gratitude for the involvement and contribution of civil society to the education improvement agenda. “This forum is very reassuring to find space and opportunity to engage with people in the sector and we look forward to more meetings. When I look back where we have made impacts or have been successful, it's when we have partnered either with communities or with professional bodies in the sector”, said the Minister.