SIVIWE GWARUBE | I’m the living example of what’s possible when we invest in next generation of girls in time

I was raised in a rural town in the Eastern Cape. In many ways, I should have been the face of poverty in SA. I am young, I am black and I am a woman from a rural area. According to Statistics SA, that is the profile for the most poor in our society.

But my life was profoundly altered by one person’s decision to believe that the circumstances of your birth should never determine the limits of your dreams. That is my late grandmother. She was a teacher and, therefore, a passionate believer in the transformative power of education

My grandmother gave up her own comfort to ensure I had access to a good education. She invested every ounce of energy, and a large part of her salary, to afford me a quality education. Today, I have the honour of serving as SA's minister ofbasic education – a living example of what is possible when we invest in the next generation of girls.

As we commemorate Women’s Month, I carry with me the responsibility not only of holding public office but of making sure the doors that were opened for me are widened for millions of young girls across our country. I'm committed to ensuring that no matter where a girl is born in SA – whether in Lusikisiki or Langebaan, Soweto or Sandton – she should have access to quality education that is capable of transforming her life and her future.

This begins with strengthening the foundations of learning. If a child cannot read for meaning by the age 10, her chances of success later in life are significantly reduced. That is why one of our key priorities in the department of basic education (DBE) is to improve foundational literacy and numeracy. It is not enough to place children in classrooms, we must ensure they are actually learning.

When we improve the foundation, we give every child – especially the girl child – a fair shot at a life of dignity and purpose.

We are beginning to see the results of our investment in the girl child. Over the past few years, the performance of girl learners in the National Senior Certificate examinations has improved significantly. In the 2024 matric results, girls accounted for more than half of all bachelor passes. This enables them access to universities and opens up pathways to professional careers.

Even more encouraging is that the scourge of teenage pregnancy is no longer a cause for dropouts. as over 92% of pregnant girls return to school after giving birth and finish their studies. This is a clear signal that girls are not giving up on their futures, and neither should we give up on them.

We have worked hard to remove the barriers that prevent young mothers from continuing their education. We have strengthened our policy on the prevention and management of learner pregnancy to ensure that schools are not sites of exclusion. We have expanded access to sanitary pads and hygiene products to ensure girls don’t miss school during their menstrual cycle. We are ensuring teachers found on the National Register of Sex Offenders are blacklisted and preventing them from preying on young girls.

But we must do more than just keep girls in school. We must broaden their horizons from a young age. That means exposing them to careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It means ensuring they can see themselves as future engineers, pilots, scientists, entrepreneurs and political leaders.

We must challenge gender stereotypes, not only in textbooks but in the daily experiences of our children. Empowering women begins with the confidence instilled in a girl when she is told: “You can.” She must walk into a classroom that recognises her potential. She must see women in positions of leadership. She must be protected from violence, and must be treated with dignity.

That journey begins in the earliest years of life, and it must be carried through every part of society.

As someone who once walked the dusty streets of a rural town, I know what it feels like to wonder whether your dreams are too big for your surroundings. But I also know what it means to be raised by a woman who refused to let our circumstances have the final say.

We owe it to the next generation of girls to give them a strong start in life. We must give them the tools to shape their own lives and to be the masters of their own destinies. That is what my grandmother gave me. That is what we must give to every girl in SA.

Let us use this Women’s Month not only to celebrate how far we have come, but to renew our commitment to how much further we must go, together, with education as our guide.