​Thembisa Shologu
The Gauteng Provincial Government continues to invest in modernising the education system to upskill and prepare the future workforce.
Over the years, the Gauteng Department of Education has been supplying electronic devices to learners and teachers and enabling access to e-learning programmes. 
In the 2021/22 financial year, the department accelerated the rollout of the Schools of Specialisation (Sos) to nurture the development of top talent of learners across various disciplines, producing the country's future generation of economic and industrial entrepreneurs, whilst addressing a non-correlation between skills with which learners exit the system and the requirements of the industry.
Currently, Gauteng has 21 SoS and has set a target of 35.
Tabling the department's 2021/22 annual report, MEC Panyaza Lesufi said the provincial ICT programme saw grade 7 to 12 learners provided with devices preloaded with digital content.
The department provided digital multimedia to 16 661 Grade 12 learners in the Further Education and Training in the selected no-fee paying secondary schools. 
A total of 58 000 Microsoft licences were allocated to educators to access online resources, while schools were provided with zero-rated websites to support teaching and learning throughout the COVID-19 period.
Through school visits, Lesufi said learners noted that the content was relevant for examination preparations.
Furthermore, the department provided resources for implementing the Coding and Robotics curriculum in 33 primary schools as part of the national department's pilot project. 
The department believes a coding and robotics curriculum will develop learners' ability to solve problems, think critically, work collaboratively and creatively, function in a digital and information-driven world, apply digital and ICT skills, and transfer these skills to solve everyday problems.
"A total of 3 000 Coding and Robotics resources kits were provided to support the development of Grade R requisite skills and social skills in readiness for formal schooling. This has given Grade R learners in Gauteng schools a strong head-start towards implementing the Coding and Robotics subject in schools," said Lesufi.
The Early Childhood Development (ECD) function shift from the Department of Social Development came into effect in April 2022, the department said it will place greater emphasis on pre-grade R education by increasing the enrolment rate, especially in townships and informal settlements.
The provincial waiting list of learners awaiting placement in Special Schools improved from 552 in September 2021 to 94 in March 2022.
In addition, Lesufi said the three new special schools-Dilopye, Dr Mary Malahlela and Isizwe Setjhaba- were opened to improve access, bringing the total of public Special Schools to 126 in Gauteng. 
In its endeavour to ensure that learners are exposed to education in a safe and secure environment, the department succeeded in deploying patrollers to schools through active inter-governmental collaboration with the Department of Community Safety, South African Police Service and Community Policing Forums. The programme has created 5 229 job opportunities.
Lesufi said there was a notable decrease in levels of crime  in schools since the deployment of patrollers.
These investments in education are already bearing fruit. The Class of 2021 is the highest enrolment of candidates to sit for the National Senior Certificate, recorded a respectable pass rate of 82,75%, ranking Gauteng at position two nationally.
In context, the quality of learner performance was phenomenal, with 55 848 learners achieving a 43,8% Bachelor pass, said the MEC.
The provincial government has thus far spent more than R1 billion on bursaries in the past five years. 
The number of Gauteng City Region Academy (GCRA) bursary holders has grown to 3 851 beneficiaries in 2021. Most beneficiaries are the top three learners from all no-fee paying schools.  More than 4 000 learners are expected to benefit in the 2022/23 financial year.