Podcasts about Education minister

Achievement and attendance gains are being celebrated at some charter schools for disengaged students. Annual reports show four of the seven that opened last year met Government attendance or achievement targets. Associate Education Minister David Seymour says Christchurch's Mastery School is the standout performer, despite missing achievement targets. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan it was established for students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities, and they're close to ticking boxes. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Houses were stormed and set alight, buses were hijacked and burned in a night of protests in Belfast after a knife attack in the city on Monday, which saw the victim lose one eye.Joining Shane to discuss these protests is Paul Givan, DUP MLA and Northern Ireland's Education Minister and Claire Hanna, Leader of the SDLP and MP for Belfast South and Mid-Down, to discuss.

1.    A single leak is a crime. A repeated leak is a system failure.After the 2024 NEET leak, the Radhakrishnan Committee gave roughly 95 fixes — about 60 short-term and 35 long-term — most of them reported as already implemented. Yet NEET-UG 2026 still had to be scrapped, with the Supreme Court itself observing that the agency had not learnt its lesson. When reform is announced but not delivered, the fault is no longer the question paper. It is accountability.2.    Two failures, one diagnosis: a broken gate at entry and at exit.In a single fortnight we saw a paper leak at the entrance gate — NEET — and a marking fiasco at the exit gate — the CBSE Class-12 On-Screen Marking, where students say the scanned answer-sheets do not even match their own handwriting. Some 18.5 million CBSE students; over 80 lakh NTA candidates a year. This is not bad luck twice. It is one institutional weakness showing up at both ends of a child's career.3.    An exam is the price of a year of a young Indian's life — and we are taxing it twice.A cancelled NEET, a re-test on 21 June, a disputed board result — each is lost time, lost fees, lost confidence, compounding. And this lands on a generation where graduate joblessness already runs above 13 percent — three to four times the national average of about 3 percent. We cannot also burden the young with doubt over whether the exam itself is honest.4.    Accountability — yes. Scapegoating and demolition — no.Transferring the CBSE chairman and secretary is, at best, a first step, not a reform. A recent national poll found about two-thirds of citizens want the Education Minister to resign and six in ten want the NTA dismantled. Heads of institutions must answer — I say that plainly. But I will not be misunderstood: scrapping the testing agency overnight, with lakhs of candidates already in the pipeline, risks a larger vacuum than the one we are filling. Fix the architecture; do not merely change the nameplate or burn an effigy.5.    Turn the outrage into engineering — the grievance is legitimate; the despair is not the answer.Equally, demanding accountability is not ‘anti-national.' Genuine dissent and manufactured despair both exist; conflating them is its own danger. 

The number of foreign teachers hired to fill gaps is at a record high. Ministry of Education data shows of a workforce of about 78 thousand, almost 10 thousand come from abroad. That means 12.5% of the workforce is trained overseas, rising to 13.3% among full-time teachers. Education Minister Erica Standard told Heather du Plessis-Allan schools often recruit international teachers themselves. She says they've been using overseas teachers for many years, often as a stopgap until domestic numbers increase. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack McGinn speaks to Ella Loneragan about the state's biggest Indigenous businesses and their growth. Plus: BHP's $160m boost to Port Hedland; WA's economic growth; and Education Minister dodges university merger talks.

The Education Minister wants higher pay rates for tradies who work as unqualified teachers - but she has to persuade the unions first. The PPTA says schools are in need of more people to teach the trades, and outside educators should be fully qualified if they're to be paid the same as registered teachers. Te Pūkenga CEO Gus Gilmore says it's important to attract the best people to educate young Kiwis interested in going into the trades and it's important to match market demand. "These are very experienced people.. the skills that they have as trained professionals in their field should be rewarded accordingly." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister wants higher pay rates for tradies who work as unqualified teachers - but she has to persuade the unions first. The PPTA says schools are in need of more people to teach the trades, and outside educators should be fully qualified if they're to be paid the same as registered teachers. Te Pūkenga CEO Gus Gilmore says it's important to attract the best people to educate young Kiwis interested in going into the trades and it's important to match market demand. "These are very experienced people.. the skills that they have as trained professionals in their field should be rewarded accordingly." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julian de Spainn, Ard rúnaí Chonradh na Gaeilge, reacts to comments by the Education Minister suggesting no new Irish language secondary schools will be built over the next five years.

The Government is providing 70 million dollars of funding to double the number of places in trade academies. On Friday Morning Report spoke with John Gilmour, who helps run the Ringa Raupa - Eastern Bay Trades Academy, in Opotiki, where students learn what it takes to build a house. Education Minister Erica Stanford joins the show.

Govt in damage control over NEET leak, CBSE evaluation row Facing mounting criticism over the NEET paper leak and anomalies in CBSE Class XII answer-sheet evaluation, the government on Thursday sought to signal a more serious and coordinated response, with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan publicly owning responsibility for the controversies. Parallelly, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a high-level meeting attended by the Education Minister, Communication Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and top officials, where measures were discussed to ensure that paper leaks do not take place in the NEET re-examination on June 21. A proposal to involve the Indian Air Force in transporting question papers for enhanced security was also discussed in the meeting. “We are taking a ‘whole of government' approach to ensure the integrity of the examination process, in which all departments are involved. The examination papers were transported by the Postal Department, and the possibility of the Air Force being used for transporting papers was discussed,” Dharmendra Pradhan told a TV channel. The long wait for the chair: Inside DKS and Siddaramaiah's political journeys From education to politics now. Socialist stalwart Siddaramaiah steps down as Karnataka Chief Minister after long political career The meeting with the Congress high command on May 27 turned out to be the moment D.K. Shivakumar had long waited for. By May 28, Friday, Shivakumar and then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah jointly announced to the world that the latter had tendered his resignation, ending months of speculation over Karnataka's most closely watched power equation. Earlier in the day, the two leaders shared breakfast and exchanged warm hugs — visuals carefully crafted to signal a smooth handover rather than a bitter succession battle. Born Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar on May 15, 1962, in Kanakapura to a well-to-do family, the Vokkaliga strongman first entered politics as a student activist in the 1980s. Though he lost his debut Assembly election to heavyweight H.D. Deve Gowda in 1985, Shivakumar bounced back quickly, registering the first of what would become eight consecutive Assembly victories at the age of 27 from the erstwhile Sathanur constituency. H-1B returnees face cautious AI-led job market in India, say experts Turning to the job market now. Every time the US and its immigration authorities tighten visa procedures, apprehensions rise among scores of techies on H-1B and other employment visas, with many calls for them to return to India and tap opportunities in the growing economy. However, tech executives and HR specialists caution that H-1B returnees are now facing a cautious Indian tech job market amid an AI-led shift. Even as the number of Indian tech professionals returning from the US rises, India's current hiring environment may not be ideal for large-scale absorption of H-1B talent, especially in traditional IT services and product roles, experts say. Kamal Karanth, Co-founder of specialist staffing firm Xpheno, says that considering the current dynamics and trends of active demand in the Indian job market, this is definitely not the best of times for US-settled H-1B talent to return to India. Vi launches equality pitch after Airtel Priority backlash And finally, on the telecom front. Following criticism of Bharti Airtel's launch of Priority Postpaid, Vodafone Idea, or Vi, has launched a social media campaign promising equal network access to all its users. Stating that customer-first monetisation is paramount for India's digital growth, Vi stressed the need to be transparent and “most of all remain inclusive.” The debt-ridden firm has started an online campaign encouraging people to “change to Vi,” accompanied by slogans like “No more, no less but equal network to all” and “Strong Network. Sabka Haq.” The telecom company said that everyone is a priority with Vi, which has added over 2,20,000 new towers, expanded Vi 5G in over 110 cities, and introduced AI-based self-optimizing network technology that intelligently adapts to help deliver stronger connectivity — even in crowded areas. “A stronger network should feel strong for everyone, everywhere,” said the Vi poster. Earlier this week, Vi had responded to the government's call for submissions regarding network slicing's impact on net neutrality by urging the government to hold consultations. (Research and VO: Siddharth Mathew Cherian)

John Maytham speaks to Digital Law Company founder Emma Sadlier about the Basic Education Department’s plan to create screen time regularions for kids between 2-6years old. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the podcast, we look at the government's latest promise to cut down the size of the public service. Duncan breaks down why this feels like a rerun and questions if it highlights a first-time failure. Plus, Education Minister Erica Stanford joins us to discuss her major curriculum reforms and new primary school funding. We also check out your feedback on Winston Peters' big policy bombs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erica Stanford insists her curriculum reform adds sunlight and accountability to the sector. In a pre-Budget announcement, the Education Minister has announced $131 million to help improve students' reading, writing, and maths. It'll also include more professional development for teachers and school leaders in those areas. Stanford told Mike Hosking New Zealand's been in a black hole for some time. She says students aren't proficient in basic timetables, facts, or reading until they get to high school, and are struggling. She says we've been in the grip of a liberal education experiment that states assessing young people is bad for their mental health – which is ridiculous. Also in the announcement was a pledge to give schools more maths and literacy resources, and 36 extra maths intervention teachers. Stanford told Hosking more teachers are added every Budget, and she'd fund more if she could. She says they'll take small groups struggling with maths out of classes to get them where they need to be, and it's never been done before. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of Budget 2026, there's a promise of $131 million for education - which includes taking on students falling behind. The pre-Budget funding announcement pledges to give schools more maths and literacy resources and 36 extra maths intervention teachers. Education Minister Erica Stanford says educators and principals have already voiced their excitement about the additional funding to her. "My focus is on parents and children and raising achievement - and parents can feel confident that no matter where their child is at school, it doesn't matter, it's the same curriculum." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Honourable Kenson Casimir toured schools in Districts 1, 2, and 3 to support students, teachers, and administrators as the crucial primary school exit examinations commenced on May 13th.

A significant investment's in store for primary schools - as maths results begin to improve. The Education Minister's set to announce a boost for classroom resources and teacher support this afternoon. It comes as 36% of Year 6s met maths expectations in 2025 - up from 30%. Massey University Distinguished Mathematics Professor Gaven Martin says that's more than four thousand extra students succeeding. He says if this success persists, it's tens of thousands doing well, when they were otherwise failing. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concern that NCEA's revamp could be a little old fashioned. The Education Minister has announced more detail on what's replacing NCEA. Year 11 students will need a foundational literacy and numeracy award under the new system, while senior students face compulsory exams in every subject, and must pass at least three. Canterbury's Darfield School Principal Andy England told Ryan Bridge there's no doubt NCEA needed a revamp - but this is a bit retro. He's concerned it's oversimplified. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister says the new secondary school qualifications are achievable and aspirational. Yesterday, Erica Stanford announced senior students will need to pass three out of five subjects to achieve the new certificates. The new system will be phased in from 2028 and reward students with endorsements for passing all five subjects. Stanford explained that the first tranche of the curriculum has been sent out for consultation. "They're going to be dropping it in three tranches, just to not overwhelm the sector. I've got a group of principals who are keeping an eye on it - the curriculum advisory group." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major roll out of the Government's new curriculum's been delayed for some subjects following months of pressure from the education sector. The new curriculum for science and social sciences will be phased in across two years, beginning at the start of 2027. The new health and physical education, the arts, technology, and languages curriculum will also begin to be rolled out in 2029. Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking science and social sciences are just as important as maths and literacy. She says the reason Social Sciences have been prioritised is that it's so knowledge rich, which is so important for young people. Stanford told Hosking students can't afford to go back to the old curriculum. She says parents are stopping her in the street and say they're noticing a difference – achievement is improving and results are turning around. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wales has a new Cabinet Minister for Education - Anna Brychan. In this bonus episode, Fin looks at Ms Brychan's record in education and the challenges she faces in her new role. Social media:* Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/impactwales123* Private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1099646660713906/* Bluesky: @impactwales.bsky.social* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactwales/Contact:Email: enquiries@impact.wales Tel: 029 2167 9140BOOKSPRE-ORDER FIN'S NEW BOOK:The Illustrated Pocket Guide to Teaching & Learning: https://amzn.to/3P9yJObThe Illustrated Guide to Pedagogy:https://amzn.to/4lsupnbClosing the Disadvantage Gap:https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1032824107/Power Up Your Pedagogy:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Up-Your-Pedagogy-Illustrated/dp/1398388068Subscribe to ImpactPlus today:www.impact.wales/impactplusPRODUCTIONHost: Finola WilsonProducer: Darren EvansVisit us at: www.impact.walesMusic: Power Shutoff by Craig MacArthur

Education Minister Erica Stanford has responded to critics of her controversial curriculum rewrite with a mix of conciliation and defiance. Education correspondent John Gerritsen reports.

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union, NEHAWU says it is flabbergasted by Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela's decision to place NSFAS under administration without consulting the union. The union argues past administrators left the scheme with maladministration, financial irregularities and poor governance. NEHAWU had urged the Minister to work with stakeholders after board members resigned to stabilise the scheme. We spoke to NEHAWU National Spokesperson, Lwazi Nkolonzi.

Critics of the Government's new draft curriculum have raised concerns that it's skipped over some key areas, and the Education Minister is looking to clear things up. Earlier, Auckland University's Darren Powell earlier claimed knowledge vital for students' understanding of mental heath, food and nutrition and sexual education is absent from the draft. Erica Stanford says the curriculum covers health, wellness, tolerance and consent, and the Government was very careful in planning this out. "Everything in the curriculum, all the way up, is about mental health and building resilient kids and doing it in a wonderfully positive way. It is a wonderful curriculum and it just indicates to me, frankly, that a lot of these people who are speaking out have not actually read the curriculum." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Associate Education Minister's defending the school lunches programme despite dozens of early safety complaints. There were 21 food safety probes into the lunches from May 2024 to mid-November 2025. Some investigations came after reports of metal wire, fragments, or glass were discovered in food. David Seymour told Mike Hosking it's 21 lunches out of around 13 million. He says the issues are from when Government overtook Labour's scheme or the first term of their new scheme, which faced some teething issues. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deb talks with Paul Calandra and takes your calls. Do we need cops coming in and immediately removing drug users on the TTC? GUESTS: Paul Calandra - Ontario education minister

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has written to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to ask that the National Treasury investigate possible irregularities in the procurement process for textbooks for Grade 1-3 pupils. Allegations surfaced that publishing company Lighthouse Publishers (Pty) Ltd, which stood to make more than R285 million producing textbooks and learning and teaching support materials for the Department of Basic Education, was registered three days after the contract specifications were issued. Minister spokesperson Lukhanyo Vangqa explains

A strike. Use of the notwithstanding clause. Unresolved issues in the classroom and lots of legislation. The Minister of Education takes your questions about education in the province.

What does it take to lead one of the world's highest-performing education systems? In this episode of Top Class, OECD Editor Duncan Crawford speaks with Estonia's Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas. Drawing on Estonia's experience with digital learning, teacher professionalism and long-term student well-being, Kallas reflects on the pressures facing education leaders today, including rapid technological change and teacher shortages. The conversation also explores how Estonia has sustained strong outcomes over time, which lessons may (and may not) translate to other countries and the recent International Summit on the Teaching Profession, which was held in Tallinn. You can find the OECD's latest publication for the International Summit on the Teaching Profession – Reimagining Teaching in an Accelerating World – here: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/international-summit-on-the-teaching-profession_23127090.html

Temporary fuel support is being funnelled into keeping rural schools up and running. The Education Minister's speeding up replacing diesel boilers for up to 70 schools. Our smallest schools are getting one-off $2500 grants - and student commute allowances are being hiked 30 percent for 5000 students. Erica Stanford says mileage support's more than doubling for relief teachers at remote schools. "If it doesn't make financial sense for you to go out and drive to a rural school, then you may not choose to do that, and we don't want that, it's already difficult enough for them to get relievers." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anna Taylor, Executive Director of the Food Foundation, this week talks to Olivia Bailey, the Department of Education Minister responsible for school food in a week of exciting announcements who tells us about her vision for school food and how she hopes changes coming in September, will benefit children and young people.For more information on the School Food Project click here and read our latest briefing about school food quality here.Sign up for the Food Foundation newsletter to ensure you get all our news and updates here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Seymour believes financial flexibility is playing a role in the rapid growth of charter schools. New figures show more than 1,400 students were enrolled in 16 schools as of last month. The first seven schools established have seen their rolls jump more than 200% from 215 to 650. The Associate Education Minister told Mike Hosking charter schools demonstrate what's possible within the learning environment. He says they can be shut down if they don't reach targets like attendance and academics, but in return get the flexibility to use money their way. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it possible...or smart...to try to remove ideology from schools? What does it even mean? Whose responsibility is it to decide how and what students learn? We ask Alberta's Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides about the UCP's controversial Bill 25 in our feature interview presented by Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West.  THIS EPISODE IS PRESENTED BY RapidEX FINANCIAL. THE CRYPTO WORLD MOVES FAST, BUT YOUR TRUST IN AN EXCHANGE SHOULDN'T BE A GAMBLE. RapidEX IS SECURE, FINTRAC-REGISTERED, AND NON-CUSTODIAL. SAVE 50% ON FEES ON ONLINE INTERAC E-TRANSFER TRADES WITH PROMO CODE RYAN50 AT https://rapidexfinancial.com/. MBEW: https://www.mercedes-benz-edmontonwest.ca/ 36:00 | Dolph Lundgren, one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood history, talks to us about his cancer fight and the decision to discuss it during filming of the documentary film Dolph: Unbreakable. 1:02:00 | Taste of Spring is a fresh new festival celebrating the food, art, and culture that makes Jasper so special. We have details in this edition of #MyJasper Memories proudly presented by Tourism Jasper.  TASTE of SPRING: https://www.jasper.travel/taste-of-spring/ 1:05:10 | Filmmakers Nauzanin Knight, Sheena Rossiter, and Adam Scorgie join our Real Talk Round Table on opening day of NorthwestFilmFest.  GET TICKETS TO NORTHWESTFEST: https://www.northwestfest.ca/ 1:55:00 | Remember Curtis Wright, the Canadian who's been detained by ICE for six months? We've got an update on his situation. 2:00:00 | PM Mark Carney's Liberals are now one seat away from a majority, as Ontario MP Marilyn Gladu crosses the floor. We dig into the developing story.  2:07:30 | Who surrendered Tuesday - Iran or the United States? We hear a few different perspectives on the ceasefire deal that will temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and see what Real Talkers have to say in our Live Chat powered by Park Power.  TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: talk@ryanjespersen.com  SAVE on INTERNET, ELECTRICITY, and NATURAL GAS: https://parkpower.ca/realtalk/ THE REAL TALK LIVE STREAM is presented by CALIFORNIA CLOSETS. BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION TODAY: https://californiaclosets.ca/ REGISTER for the HEARTS & HANDS POKER TOURNEY on APRIL 16/17: https://benstelterfoundation.com/ FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen  JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

The Education Minister's hitting back at union claims her flagship assessment tool is falling flat. The Educators Collective says fewer than 60% of schools have signed up to the SMART reporting system, with some not planning to use it. The tool gives parents progress markers and twice-yearly updates for Year 0-10 students. But Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking the criticism is a political hit job and the union's fudged the figures. She says 250 thousand students were signed up to SMART in nine working days, which shows the sector understands assessment is important to raise achievement. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Wednesday, 8 April, 2026, we talk to a Middle East correspondent about whether the ceasefire between the US and Iran will hold. Reserve Bank governor Anna Breman on the warning bells ahead as she keeps the official cash rate at 2.25%. We talk to the owner about what you'll get if you buy Australia's smallest town. And one of our Huddlers, Maurice Williamson and Jack Tame, is hot on schools ignoring the Education Minister's new SMART tool. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has warned that the Ministry will take action against parents who assist their children in Primary 6, Form 1, or Form 2 to sit for the BECE, stating that the practice is against Ghana Education Service ethics

Decades ago, Ontario's colleges operated with a goal of improving local economies and regional communities. Now, Premier Doug Ford claims if you're not in a highly-skilled field, the baskets you're looking to weave are no where to be found. With cuts to OSAP on the provincial level, and caps to student visas on the federal level, the mission of our colleges have seemed to have shifted towards keeping the lights on with as little investment as possible. Host Maria Kestane speaks to Dr. Emilda Thavaratnam, an educator at Centennial College. She authored an article called 'Ontario's colleges were founded to serve local and regional needs — have we forgotten that?'. The two discuss how the college system's ethos has shifted from locally-driven to profit-yielding, and how the province's most vulnerable are falling between the cracks. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

Rebecca Davis, Senior Journalist at Daily Maverick, speaks to John Maytham about Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube’s efforts to clean up the Department of Basic Education, and the reported pushback she is facing from within the department as she tries to drive reforms aimed at improving governance, accountability, and overall efficiency. The discussion explores the internal dynamics that may be slowing down or complicating these changes, as well as what these challenges reveal about the state of the education system, and what it will take for meaningful reform to take root and deliver better outcomes for learners across South Africa. Presenter John Maytham is an actor and author-turned-talk radio veteran and seasoned journalist. His show serves a round-up of local and international news coupled with the latest in business, sport, traffic and weather. The host’s eclectic interests mean the program often surprises the audience with intriguing book reviews and inspiring interviews profiling artists. A daily highlight is Rapid Fire, just after 5:30pm. CapeTalk fans call in, to stump the presenter with their general knowledge questions. Another firm favourite is the humorous Thursday crossing with award-winning journalist Rebecca Davis, called “Plan B”. Thank you for listening to a podcast from Afternoon Drive with John Maytham Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 15:00 and 18:00 (SA Time) to Afternoon Drive with John Maytham broadcast on CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/BSFy4Cn or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/n8nWt4x Subscribe to the CapeTalk Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/sbvVZD5 Follow us on social media: CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour says schools will remain open as long as possible as fuel prices continue to rise. The Ministry of Education's been developing contingency plans as rural schools grapple with a shortage of relievers and falling attendance. Seymour —the Associate Minister of Education— says the Government won't repeat Labour's mistakes during the Covid era. He told Mike Hosking schools will only move to online learning if we face severe fuel disruptions. Seymour says we're not even close to that right now. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister's blaming human error, after using her official email to promote a National Party video to schools. Erica Stanford sent principals guidance on a new assessment system, but included a link to a Party YouTube video in which she explains the tool. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says Labour's Ginny Andersen has voiced concerns over this - which sparked further debate in the House. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Education Minister says they'll continue to work with unionised primary teachers, despite offering pay rises to the rest. About ten thousand non-union primary teachers have the option to accept pay offers from today after the union's rejected three recent deals. Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking a third of the workforce are being held up, and deserve a pay rise. She says they'll continue to sort a deal with union in good faith. NZEI's Liam Rutherford says the move is a deliberate breach of good faith and undermines teachers' collective bargaining. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cayman's young athletes made history at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex -- records broken, crowds roaring, and a first‑ever CARIFTA qualifier status for the Inter‑Secondary Championships! A worn‑out field at Theoline McCoy Primary is getting a major upgrade. Updates straight from the House of Parliament coming up as the Education Minister lays out the plan. #rcnews #radiocayman #caymansports #cariftaqualifiers #caymanislands

Primary teachers are the last on the list in the education sector, still to strike a pay deal with the Government. Primary principals have accepted a cumulative 2.5% immediate pay rise and another 2.1% next year. It introduces a $15 thousand curriculum-change allowance, recognising their work implementing reforms. Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking teachers want the Treaty of Waitangi acknowledged and increased learning support. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has ordered a comprehensive audit of the sanitary pads distributed under the government's Free Sanitary Pad Initiative last year, following complaints about poor quality.

An independent external review of the Teaching Council was carried out by consultant Debbie Francis late last year. It has found that the agency has lost focus on its core function of safeguarding children and needs transformative change. CEO Lesley Hoskin is on agreed leave pending the outcome of an independent investigation into her conduct. The report identified multiple issues in the operations of the council. Education minister Erica Stanford told Heather du Plessis-Allan, "those two things together are a recipe for disaster: we think that we're a friend to the profession, and we're not hiring people who are actually have any experience." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Seymour wants to reassure parents things have improved - despite new data showing growing workforce challenges in early childhood education. Nearly 34,000 teaching staff were employed last year, but just over two-thirds were qualified. Almost 10,000 staff had no formal qualifications - nearly double the number in 2011. Associate Education Minister David Seymour told Mike Hosking that parents should know the number of teachers with formal qualifications has increased. He says in actual fact the situation hasn't changed much in five years and has improved since they've been in Government. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Givan speaks exclusively to Talkback about his new plans for the curriculum.

The Government's keeping a closer eye on kids' achievement across primary and intermediate school. It's announced nationally consistent assessments and reporting will be rolled out this year for reading, writing, and math. Reports are also planned to give advice to parents on how they can help out at home. Education Minister Erica Stanford told Mike Hosking the reports will be filled with intense detail, for example, the maths report will actually show results in algebra, geometry, and measurement. She says parents will now know in detail exactly where their children are at. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporter, Sally-Ann Barrett visits Scoil an Chroí Naofa in Ballinasloe whose school community has been campaigning for more than two decades to get plans for a new primary school to the tender stage.

Clement Manyathela speaks to Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education, as they discuss the 2025 matric pass rate and her plans for the Basic Department of Education. The Clement Manyathela Show is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station, weekdays from 09:00 to 12:00 (SA Time). Clement Manyathela starts his show each weekday on 702 at 9 am taking your calls and voice notes on his Open Line. In the second hour of his show, he unpacks, explains, and makes sense of the news of the day. Clement has several features in his third hour from 11 am that provide you with information to help and guide you through your daily life. As your morning friend, he tackles the serious as well as the light-hearted, on your behalf. Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Clement Manyathela Show. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 09:00 and 12:00 (SA Time) to The Clement Manyathela Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/XijPLtJ or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/p0gWuPE Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.