Minister Siviwe Gwarube: Bana Pele 2030 Roadmap Leadership Summit

Today, I have the privilege of talking to you about a topic that is close to my heart—the children of this country and how we put the children first, Bana Pele. When I speak about the children of this country, I am speaking about the very future of our nation. And I believe that the way to put our children first is to give them the best chance at succeeding in life and research shows us that the best return on invest is in Early Childhood Development.

You see, when we talk about Early Childhood Development (ECD), we’re not just talking about education—we’re talking about the foundation for everything. This is where it all begins. The first few years of a child’s life shape who they’ll become, not just as learners in school, but as citizens, as professionals and indeed as future leaders of this country.

Nobel Prize winner, Prof James Heckman, made a powerful, yet simple observation that has stuck with me: “Learning begets more learning, and skill begets more skill”. The more we learn, the more we want to learn and the easier it becomes to learn. Success in foundational literacy and numeracy there begets success in literacy and numeracy at all levels of education.

The success of a human can be greatly augmented by the early acquisition of basic skills during childhood.

If I have not been simple enough, let me simplify it further. The future of learning, the future of our economy, the future of this country—all of it begins with Early Childhood Development. It begins with these first, deeply valuable years in a child’s life.

In South Africa, we have nearly 7 million children between the ages of 0 and 5. And the truth is, a lot of them are not getting what they need. Around 1.3 million children in the age group of 3 to 5 are not attending any form of ECD programme. The children who are not attending ECD are found mostly in poorer communities and this unequal access entrenches the inequalities that have come to define our country. The difference between wealthier children and poorer children on being developmentally on track quality ECD is staggering.

8 out of 10 children in quintile five, the wealthiest of our schools, is likely to be developmentally on track. That means they can read for meaning, they can count and can manipulate complex puzzles.

compared this to only 3 out of 10 children in the poorest quintile are developmentally on track.

Mr President we are leaving too many of our children behind!

This is deeply concerning. As I mentioned earlier, research shows that a child’s chance at a successful future can depend on the kind of start they get in life.

To rescue the children of South Africa, we have set out on a strategic reorientation of the basic education sector towards foundational learning

So, we’ve set ourselves some goals, and one of them is as bold as it is audacious. By 2030, we want every child in South Africa to have access to quality early learning. But let me be very clear: this goal is not about doing more of the same. It’s not about simply throwing more money or resources into a system that’s already under strain. No, this is about doing something impactful! Meaningful! Transformative!.

This is about rethinking the way we deliver ECD? How do we overcome the barriers of access and quality? And how do we build the systems, structures, and partnerships that will give every child the foundation they deserve?

How do we think out of the box?

The first is to admit that we do not have all the answers as government and we must accept that we need to collaborate and work together with private and civil society partners to come up with a joint solution for the 1,3 million children in this country who do not have access to Early Childhood Development.

To get to where we want to be, we need something extraordinary— and that something is leadership. Leadership as government, leadership as the social sector, leadership as funders.

Leadership, in this sector, is not just about making decisions—it’s about having the courage to face the tough conversations. It’s about having the resilience to keep going when things get hard. And it’s about understanding that none of us can do this alone.

Leadership, to me, means creating collaborations that work. And if we’re honest, collaboration is hard.

You know, in his biography, Abraham Lincoln talks about leading a “team of rivals.” It’s easy to work with people you like. It’s easy when everyone agrees. But a “team of rivals” tests your emotional intelligence. It asks: How do we build trust in the face of differences? How do we come together when we don’t always see eye to eye?

In this sector, we have to ask ourselves, how do we shift away from a competitive mindset rooted in scarcity to a collaborative one rooted in abundance? We have so much potential if we can unite around a common goal.

In trying to reach audacious goals, we are entering uncharted territory. And unchartered territory requires agility—the ability to adapt. Things are going to change. We’re going to face challenges that we’ve never faced before. And when we do, how willing are we to change our minds? How open are we to learning from our mistakes and evolving as we go?

It’s not easy. We all have our deeply held beliefs, our ideas. But sometimes, we have to be willing to let go of what we know in order to make room for new solutions. How much personal change are we willing to embrace? How much collective learning are we ready for?

And this is where innovation becomes critical. We’re not talking about tech or gadgets in labs here. We’re talking about the determination to seek better ways to solve problems. Innovation means letting go of the old ways of doing things that haven’t worked.

We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done and expect different results.

We need to innovate in our thinking, our collaboration, and our solutions. There’s no step-by-step playbook for quality access to early learning for 1 million children. We’re writing that playbook today. It’s time for new ideas, new methods, and intense learning.

And that requires humility—the humility to admit when we’re wrong and the courage to change direction when we need to. We can’t cling to old ideas simply because we’re comfortable with them.

You’ve heard the saying, “change happens at the speed of trust.” In the ECD sector, trust is not just important—it is everything.

How do we build trust in this sector? How do we ensure that parents trust us? We have to remember that the reason we’re in this room, the reason we’re working together, is that parents trust us to get it right for their children.

And that trust is not just about accountability in government. It’s about how NGOs, donors, businesses, and every single player in this sector holds each other accountable. How do we hold ourselves accountable. How do we make sure that the system works for the people who need it most.

Look, let’s be real here. This mission will be hard. There will be setbacks, obstacles, and tough days. We will face headwinds, and some of us may feel like giving up.

I want us to remember that we can’t stop. No matter how hard it gets, we must keep moving forward, together. We need resilience, and we need to support each other, because when we do, we’ll get there.

We also need courage. If you’re not scared by this mission of universal access to quality early learning by 2030, then maybe you’re not truly on board with what we’re trying to achieve.
With over 60% of Africa’s population under the age of 25, the potential for growth, for innovation, and economic development is immense. Our continent will be home to the largest workforce by the year 2060.

However, this potential can only be realized if we make the right investments in our youth—starting with their earliest years.

The time to alter the future history of our continent is now.

It will not be easy but it will be well worth it!

As Nelson Mandela once said, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” We are climbing a mountain—a formidable mountain. But it’s in facing that fear, in feeling those sweaty palms and racing hearts, that we will achieve the impossible.

So, as I stand before you today, I ask this: Are you ready to embrace collaboration?

Are you ready to trust each other and have the courage to push forward, no matter what?

The road ahead will be tough, but we will travel it together. We will build a future where every child gets the quality early learning they deserve. Together, we will put the children of this country first. Bana Pele!

Thank you very much.