GQEBERHA. – Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has announced significant progress on school safety initiatives and digital transformation in classrooms.
Speaking on the Minister’s behalf at the South African Principals Association (SAPA) National Conference 2025 Deputy Director General Simoné Geyer highlighted recent studies, including the 2024 Thrive by Five Index.
Geyer delivered the ministerial address to more than 800 education leaders gathered at Gqeberha’s Boardwalk Convention Centre during a three-day conference which ran from 11 to 13 September.
“Last year the Minister promised to prioritise safety in schools. Today she is pleased to report that the Department has signed a collaborative protocol with the South African Police Service,” she told delegates.
Safe Schools Protocol is currently being rolled out across districts, establishing formal channels for cooperation between schools and police forces.
The 2025 SAPA National Conference featured high-impact plenary sessions alongside focused programme tracks covering leadership and entrepreneurship, safety and wellness, educational technology as well as resources and infrastructure.
Digital transformation push
The Department of Basic Education has also advanced its vision for preparing learners for a digital and artificial intelligence-driven economy. Negotiations are underway with a major technology company to donate smart classrooms for pilot projects across two provinces, whilst telecommunications companies are investing to ensure schools receive proper connectivity.
“This is about more than devices – it is about equipping young people to live, work, and think in the 21st century,” Geyer explained, emphasising the government’s commitment to bringing digital learning opportunities to even the most rural schools.
Gwarube has also called upon school principals to prioritise the Foundation Phase and support early childhood development centres, warning that too many children are failing to reach crucial developmental milestones.
“The Minister therefore calls on every principal to prioritise the Foundation Phase, support ECD centres, ensure effective teaching and learning time, and protect these basics in your schools,” said Geyer.
Minister Gwarube highlighted the department’s substantial investment in principal development, including the institutionalisation of the Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management, which is moving towards becoming compulsory for future school leaders.
“A principal must be both manager and leader, administrator and visionary,” the Minister noted through her representative. “Schools need leaders who ensure daily teaching aligned to the curriculum, while also inspiring harmony, creativity, and excellence.”
The Minister stressed that reading, writing, and arithmetic remain “the building blocks of all progress”, urging principals to view challenges as opportunities to strengthen their institutions.
