Basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube’s announcement of the Safe Schools programme is a welcome sign of both urgency and intent. School safety is a foundational issue: pupils cannot thrive in classrooms where violence, fear and instability are the norm. For too long, South Africa’s education debate has been weighed down by basic questions of safety, sanitation, infrastructure and attendance. This programme is an important step forward.
But let’s be clear: safety is only the beginning, not the end goal.
The real crisis in our education system is not just about safety, but about outcomes — and what those outcomes mean for the future of our economy. We are in the grip of a long-term unemployment crisis, especially among the youth. While the government and civil society rightly focus on efforts to stimulate job creation, too often they ignore a fundamental truth: jobs don’t just appear — they are built by entrepreneurs.
The question then is whether our education system is producing pupils who will go on to create businesses, innovate products and grow industries. Right now, the answer is no — and even fewer are emerging from the public schools attended by most South Africans.
If we truly want to prepare young people for life beyond the classroom, we must do more than ensure safety. We must commit to building schools that nurture entrepreneurial thinking, problem-solving, curiosity and digital fluency. Because that’s where job creation begins: not in policy documents but in classrooms that give every child the confidence and tools to dream big and build boldly.
Gwarube has opened the door. Now let’s walk through it, and transform our schools from safe zones into launchpads for a thriving business ecosystem in South Africa.
Nicole Mirkin
By e-mail
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