South Africa’s education sector has never been short of well-meaning interventions. Government, NPOs and the private sector each bring valuable resources and expertise. Yet too often, these efforts run in parallel, well-intentioned but fragmented, resulting in duplication in some areas and neglect in others. 

In Tshwane North this month, a new attempt was made to change that.  

The Tshwane North Education District, in partnership with the National Association of Social Change Entities in Education (NASCEE) and Citizen Leader Lab, convened a pilot to explore how district-level coordination might work in practice. The aim was not to add another programme to the pile. Rather, the focus was on testing whether a collaborative model, built on existing initiatives, could be developed and led by the District Partnership Team and eventually replicated in other districts. 

The architecture of change 

The keynote speakers framed collaboration as both a strategic necessity, and a moral and policy imperative. 

As Gauteng Education Chief Director for Tshwane, Paula Galego, reminded participants, collaboration is not an optional extra. It is embedded in South Africa’s National Development Plan (NDP) and linked directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4, which commits to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all. 

Galego was candid about the gap between the principle and practice of collaboration: “What still doesn’t work is the existence of fragmentation, with organisations competing for resources and visibility. We need to address that.” 

This sentiment was echoed by Soso Motloung, Special Programmes Manager at the MTN Foundation, who stressed that while technology and resources are vital, they are less effective without alignment: “When there is collaboration and alignment, using the strength of government, the resources of the private sector and the grassroots insights of NPOs, we can achieve a lot.” 

Evidence and gaps 

The session combined a celebration of contributions with a candid look at data. 

Sandra de Bruyn, Senior Education Specialist and member of the Tshwane North Partnership Team, highlighted the district’s reliance on partnerships to deliver services beyond the state’s immediate funding capacity, from zero-rated e-learning platforms to legal and advisory support for school principals.  

De Bruyn also acknowledged the persistent gaps, particularly in infrastructure: “There is a backlog of almost two years. The need for collaboration to close this gap is urgent.” 

District Director at the Gauteng Department of Education, Thea Coetser, grounded the discussion in district realities. She noted that while Tshwane North ranks among the top 10 districts nationally, with more than half of its matric learners achieving university exemption, significant challenges remain. 

“In the foundation phase (Grades 1–3), substantial work is still needed in literacy and numeracy. Other critical areas include Grade 8 and 9 mathematics, as well as early childhood development, which has now shifted from Social Development to Education. This provides a clearer picture of the district’s needs and highlights where collaboration is most needed.” 

For Lungile Zakwe, Chairperson of the NASCEE Board, the pilot’s significance lay in civil society stepping into alignment with government priorities. “Historically, the problem is that civil society’s work has been fragmented and not aligned with government goals. NASCEE exists to close this gap,” she said. 

This reflects the growing recognition that while government remains the primary duty-bearer, civil society and business must be complementary actors, not parallel ones. NASCEE’s efforts to build the capacity of its affiliates, Zakwe said, is part of creating a coherent, supportive, quality-assured ecosystem. 

Davina Murphy, Data and Analytics Lead at NASCEE, reinforced this with the unveiling of the National Education Directory, a platform mapping school-level needs and profiling organisations equipped to meet them.  

“If we describe the education system as a bus,” she said, “then everyone must be pushing in the same direction to move that bus forward.” 

Collaboration starts with connection 

The practical component of the day was an interactive workshop facilitated by Komala Pillay, CEO of Citizen Leader Lab and NASCEE board member, together with Dr Mariette Myburgh, a Citizen Leader Lab Facilitator. Drawing on Citizen Leader Lab’s leadership development methodology, the session combined constructive dialogue, shared reflection and collaborative problem solving. 

Participants wrestled with three questions: 

What is needed to increase collaboration? 
Trust, credibility and an “abundance mindset” were seen as prerequisites. Suggestions included dedicated collaboration roles in organisations, data-driven mapping and expanded networking opportunities. 

What first steps are necessary for collaboration? 
Attendees urged alignment with Tshwane North’s specific pain points, creation of thematic working groups and better impact storytelling. 

What commitments can we make? 
Commitments included nurturing the new connections made at the event, aligning deliberately with district priorities and amplifying outcomes through press and social platforms to shape public narratives. 

The day closed with reflections from Pranay Devchand, Chief Education Specialist at the Gauteng Department of Education, who emphasised that this pilot marks the beginning of a longer journey, one that will unfold through steady, incremental progress. 

Collaboration is never straightforward. It asks people and institutions, each guided by their own systems, timelines and pressures, to find common ground. Government departments move at the pace of bureaucracy, donors and NPOs at the rhythm of funding cycles and communities at the speed of daily realities. But it ultimately offers the possibility of coherence in a system that often operates in silos. 

For now, the story of Tshwane North is still being written — one conversation, one commitment and one act of collaboration at a time. 

This article was prepared by Citizen Leader Lab  

About Citizen Leader Lab 
Citizen Leader Lab is a leadership development and support non-profit organisation, committed to creating resilient leaders in both public and private sectors. Through programmes and workshops, we empower individuals to become effective leaders and change agents in their communities. With 15 years of experience, Citizen Leader Lab promotes cross-sector collaboration, active citizenship and social cohesion, with a growing presence in the education sector.