Basic Education and Higher Education and Training strengthen education cooperation through High-Level Ministrial Engagements with Finland
The Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, South Africa's Department of Basic Education (DBE), and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in education and skills development following the official visit of Finland's Minister of Education, Mr Anders Adlercreutz, to South Africa 16 – 18 August 2026.
During the visit, Minister Adlercreutz held a bilateral meeting with Minister Gwarube to discuss shared priorities and opportunities for deeper collaboration between the two countries. The Discussions focused on strengthening foundational learning, early childhood development, literacy and numeracy, teacher support, and the role of education in promoting equity and opportunity.
The Ministers also exchanged perspectives on education reform, innovation, and strategies to improve learning outcomes for all learners. As part of the programme, Minister Adlercreutz visited Tamboerskloof Primary School, where he engaged with educators and learners and observed approaches to teaching and learning in a South African school setting. The visit highlighted the importance both countries place on quality education as a foundation for lifelong success and social development.
The delegation also visited Northlink College, where officials exchanged views on expanding access to vocational education, improving graduate employability, and fostering innovation in skills development systems. Both sides recognised the important role that Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions play in addressing skills shortages and supporting inclusive economic growth. Minister Adlercreutz and Deputy Minister Dr. Dube-Ncube had bilateral meeting, focusing on strengthening South Africa–Finland cooperation in vocational education, skills development, industry partnerships and institutional collaboration.
The Minister outlined the Finnish Vocational Education and Training Model, which provides learners with both theoretical and practical training, while retaining pathways to higher education, strengthening the link between vocational education and labour-market needs by encouraging greater autonomy among education providers to determine programmes according to demand, and the Finnish funding model which considers outcomes such as completion, employment and student satisfaction, thereby incentivising providers to strengthen partnerships with industry.
Deputy Minister Dr. Dube-Ncube outlined South Africa’s move towards a Dual Vocational Education System, where learners alternate between classroom-based learning and workplace training, a more deliberate and targeted approach to ensuring that international cooperation contributes to institutional capacity building, access and transformation. Deputy Minister reaffirmed South Africa's commitment to international partnerships that support the transformation and strengthening of the country's education and training system, while contributing to broader human capital development objectives.
A further highlight of the visit was the South Africa-Finland Exchange on Vocational Education and Skills Development, an event organised by Embassy of Finland, Metso, and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The event brought together government representatives, educational institutions, industry leaders, and skills development practitioners. The dialogue provided a valuable platform for sharing experiences and exploring practical approaches to strengthening collaboration between education providers and industry and between Finland and South Africa.
The parties noted the strong and longstanding relationship between South Africa and Finland and welcomed opportunities to further expand cooperation in areas including teacher development, digital learning, vocational education and training, research collaboration, innovation, and skills development. Minister Adlercreutz expressed appreciation for the warm hospitality extended by the Government of South Africa and welcomed the constructive exchanges that took place during the visit.
The Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, the Department of Basic Education, and the Department of Higher Education and Training agreed to continue advancing dialogue and practical cooperation in pursuit of quality education, skills development, and sustainable socioeconomic development for the benefit of both countries.
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