Officials from the World Bank are currently visiting the Western Cape Education Department to make preparations for the Education Sector Analysis (ESA) they will be undertaking for the Western Cape.

The Education Sector Analysis aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the current status of the province’s education system and recommendations on how to address identified priority challenges, in order to inform the preparation of targeted provincial strategies.

The ultimate objective of having this analysis undertaken for our province is to improve learning outcomes for the children of the Western Cape.

During the preparatory meetings taking place between 14 and 24 February 2023, the World Bank team will compile data and documentation, discuss some of their preliminary findings, conduct key interviews with stakeholders and specialists, and visit early learning programmes and schools.

We were also fortunate to be joined by the World Bank’s Global Director for Education, and former Minister of Education in Peru, Jaime Saavedra. I had a wonderful discussion with Mr Saavedra this week about our education landscape, and ideas to reverse the severe learning losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

We warmly welcome the World Bank to our province, and look forward to engaging with them about our vision for quality education for every learner, in every classroom, in every school in the Western Cape.