'Education reform is 30 years late': Cyril Ramaphosa at lekgotla

Three decades into democracy, South Africa’s education system is still struggling to lay a solid foundation for learning, an issue that should have been resolved years ago. Speaking at the 2025 Basic Education Sector Lekgotla, President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the depth of the crisis, stating that “correcting these shortcomings is the most urgent of tasks”.

Despite celebrating the highest matric pass rate in 2024, the country remains in crisis when it comes to early education. More than 80% of grade 4 pupils cannot read for meaning, as revealed in the 2021 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. South Africa also ranks among the lowest in global mathematics and science performance.

“Not having mastered basic skills in reading and maths at foundation level sets the tone for how a learner will perform in high school and beyond,” Ramaphosa said, underscoring the urgent need for reform.

The latest World Bank South Africa Economic Update identifies basic education as one of the most critical drivers of inclusive growth. However, the proposed reforms — prioritising foundational learning, early childhood development and improving literacy and numeracy — are not new ideas. These are changes that should have been made decades ago.

“Our education system needs to be responsive to the evolving skills needs of the economy,” said Ramaphosa. Yet South Africa finds itself in 2025 still discussing reforms that could have fundamentally changed the country’s economic and social trajectory had they been aggressively implemented in the 1990s.

The world is racing ahead with education models designed to prepare students for the digital economy, while South Africa is playing catch-up. The World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report” highlights the rapid rise of AI-driven professions, yet local schools are still struggling to equip pupils with even the most basic skills.

“There are now tools that can build a website in 10 seconds and compile a fully referenced research paper in about a minute,” Ramaphosa noted, warning that the country’s education system is not adapting fast enough. “We have to adapt to this new reality or risk the consequences of last century methods that cannot deliver new century outcomes.”

Another long-standing gap is the failure to promote vocational and technical education as viable career pathways. Countries like Germany have shown the success of vocational training, where nearly half the workforce holds a vocational qualification. In contrast, South Africa continues to treat technical education as a fallback for students who fail to meet university entry requirements.

“It should be seen as an attractive proposition for all learners,” Ramaphosa said, urging a shift in perception. “As stakeholders in the sector, we need to work together to address the prevalent bias towards general academic education and even the stigma that exists around choosing vocational occupations.”

The 2025 Lekgotla, convened under the government of national unity, comes at a critical moment. South Africa’s presidency of the G20 presents an opportunity to push for global best practices in education. However, without concrete action, the annual gathering risks being just another talk shop that fails to deliver meaningful change.

“There is no substitute for solid foundational education led by committed and capable educators,” Ramaphosa said, emphasising that urgent reforms cannot be delayed any longer.

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