By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the world leaders to accelerate the transformation of education systems ahead of the 2030 deadline to achieve quality education.
Addressing the Transforming Education Summit (TES+4) at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Friday, Ramaphosa described education as the most powerful tool to tackle inequality and economic exclusion.
The Summit focuses on system transformation and resilience at a time when education systems are under growing pressure from fiscal constraints, climate shocks, protracted crises, and rapid technological change, including advances in artificial intelligence.
TES+4 spotlights key drivers of change, including the teaching profession, lifelong learning, and inclusive digital transformation. Equity, inclusion, and gender equality are central to all discussions while sustainable education financing will underpin implementation and delivery.
He highlighted South Africa’s investment in education, noting that nearly a quarter of the national budget is allocated to the sector, while millions of learners benefit from school nutrition programmes.
Ramaphosa also pointed to the country’s record matric pass rate, saying many of the learners who qualify for university come from historically disadvantaged communities that were systematically marginalised under apartheid.
“These are young people who will go on to pursue their dreams at a university or technical and vocational college of their choice, where they can study for free, “he said.
Ramaphosa said these achievements demonstrate that education is more than a pathway out of poverty.
“These stories are a powerful reminder that when opportunity is extended, education becomes not merely a ladder out of poverty, but a tool with which a nation can transform itself, as President Mandela said,” the President said.
Reflecting on progress since the 2022 Transforming Education Summit, the President acknowledged that while countries had committed to recovering learning losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and improving equity in education, significant challenges remain.
“The pandemic may be behind us, but serious challenges remain. Tightening fiscal conditions impact our ability to invest in education. Conflicts and climate-related shocks are disrupting education and displacing millions. At the same time, we stand at the threshold of a technological revolution that will fundamentally reshape the skills our young people need to thrive,” Ramaphosa said.
He said the summit must honestly assess global progress and ensure that countries remain accountable for delivering on their commitments.
“Our credibility will be measured not by the aspirations we declare, but by the progress we achieve for learners everywhere,” the President said.
Ramaphosa stressed that teachers remain central to any meaningful education reform, calling for improved working conditions and greater recognition of the profession.
“The teaching profession stands at the heart of any meaningful education transformation. We cannot transform education without transforming the conditions under which our teachers work and the respect with which we treat them,” he said.
The first Transforming Education Summit was convened in 2022 in response to the worsening global teacher shortage. The Education International delegation made a strong case for urgent action to support the profession, stressing the imperative to invest in teachers, engage in social and policy dialogue, encourage teacher leadership, and involve educators in the governance and deployment of technology in education.