On March 17, 2025, during the Bana Pele Early Childhood Development Leadership Summit, President Cyril Ramaphosa proposed a bold and controversial measure: closing schools for two years to overhaul South Africa's beleaguered education system. His remarks have ignited a significant debate across the country, highlighting deep-seated issues within educational reform and the legacies of apartheid-era policies.
Ramaphosa's assertion was clear: the education sector has made substantial errors over the years, particularly in early childhood development. He stated, "Yes the children would have run around the streets without any education for 2 years, but that would have gained us a lot of time to be able to reform our education system." This suggestion was met with immediate backlash from social media users, who took to platforms like Twitter to vent their frustrations. Responses ranged from sarcastic to outright scathing, with users suggesting that perhaps politicians themselves should attend school to learn about honesty and integrity. One Twitter user quipped, "CLOSE PARLIAMENT FOR 2 YEARS. SEND ALL POLITICIANS TO SCHOOL TO LEARN, HONESTY, INTEGRITY, COMPLETE THEIR STUDIES... NO MORE FAKE QUALIFICATIONS,” reflecting the general sentiment of dissatisfaction with political leadership.
Critics of Ramaphosa’s proposal pointed out that such drastic measures could further exacerbate educational inequalities rather than resolve them. Political analysts and education unions underscored that, despite claims of progress, educational outcomes for black communities have worsened since the end of apartheid in 1994. Sandile Swana, a prominent analyst, summarized the frustration when he said, "Education in black communities has deteriorated... the parents, including the comrades themselves – the ANC and all the elite in parliament – are taking their children to... private and former Model C schools in order to benefit from the traditions of high-quality education that were established by white communities. They are running away from the consequences of the foolishness that they have been doing in the black schools, townships and villages.”
In his speech, Ramaphosa acknowledged the deeply ingrained issues stemming from the historically damaging Bantu Education system, which systematically disadvantaged black children in terms of educational access. He referenced a study from 1992 revealing that during apartheid, merely 6% of black children had access to quality early childhood development (ECD) programs, while one-third of white children did. This stark contrast highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the education sector in rectifying past injustices.
While the Basic Education Department maintains that there has been progress—evidenced by claims that learners today perform better than they did two decades ago—this assertion is met with skepticism. Elijah Mhlanga, a spokesperson for the department, cited a report suggesting that if current improvement trends persist, South Africa could reach educational benchmarks comparable to those in successful middle-income countries by 2030. However, educational experts like Professor Sethulego Matebesi stress that governmental efforts routinely overlook the pressing realities within schools, such as violence and corruption, which directly impede learning environments. Matebesi argues, "There seems to be little interest in dealing with the inexorable situation where schools have become violent and an avenue for rampant corruption.”
Naptosa's executive director, Basil Manuel, added another layer of critique: the government's fixation on matric results neglects the foundational years necessary for a child's educational success. “Had we fixed the bottom, the top would have sorted itself out,” he said. Manuel emphasized that this misplaced focus not only hampers educational reform but also nudges parents toward private schools, often referred to as Model C schools, where better infrastructure and smaller class sizes are provided. Sadtu general secretary Mugwenya Maluleke echoed this sentiment, noting that black children are still left behind in visibly inadequate conditions.
In stark contrast to the struggles faced by many South African families, the president’s own children have attended prestigious universities both locally and internationally, including Hult International Business School and Columbia University. This disparity has raised eyebrows and further fueled the criticism directed at Ramaphosa’s remarks. As his children advance in well-resourced educational environments, the reality for countless other South African children remains a stark reminder of the educational divide.
Despite the uproar, the summit also aimed to foster collaboration among stakeholders to enhance the quality of early childhood education. Ramaphosa highlighted the potential long-term benefits of early childhood investment, noting that for every rand spent on ECD, up to R7 billion can be saved in future healthcare and social costs. The blending of public-private partnerships is seen as crucial in addressing the educational crisis.
As South Africa grapples with its educational challenges, the feasibility of Ramaphosa's proposal remains up for debate. What some may view as a radical path toward reform, others perceive as a misunderstanding of the complexities involved in restructuring a deeply flawed system. Defensive as well as hopeful sentiments swirl around the necessity and execution of such radical reforms, raising questions about the future of education in South Africa.
The questions posed by Ramaphosa's comments reverberate throughout the nation, underscoring not only the urgent need for educational reform but also the critical examination of systemic issues within the country’s educational policies. If the country aims to realize its full potential, it must truly address the inequities rooted in its past.
