South Africa's youth unemployment rate of over 60% and low literacy levels are indicative of structural breakdowns in education, skills, connectivity, labor markets, access and governance.
Inauguration of MTN-sponsored panel discussion Trilog Business in Society Conference 2026MTN Sustainability and Shared Values Executive marina madaleNoted the inadequacy of individual project interventions in the face of fundamental structural problems.
Madeley candidly acknowledged that, despite MTN's fundamental belief in education, digital skills and entrepreneurship, and the claimed real impact of MTN's corporate social investment (CSI) efforts, the inconvenient truth is that even strong programs barely move the needle when the surrounding systems do not enable success.
Referring to three white papers developed by MTN in collaboration with Trilogue, he noted how even well-developed CSI programs fall short in terms of much-needed systemic change. Connectivity without pedagogy, tools without teacher trust and pilot projects without state alignment fail to bring about lasting change. He called upon the gathered corporate audience to consider; “If we continue to fund programs in a fragmented system, we will continue to get fragmented results. The question is no longer which program works. The question is what does it take to change the conditions that determine whether a program can be successful?”
mtn panel discussion Supporting the ecosystem, not just the programPresented online and at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg on 5 May 2026, it explored why more than effective programs are needed to address South Africa's youth unemployment crisis. It considered the need for a comprehensive, systemic approach that transforms the entire ecosystem through a collaborative effort of all stakeholders, from companies and other funders to implementing nonprofits and government.
Reimagining effective CSI in education
Madley told the audience that the COVID-19 pandemic redefined the way we look at education and created space for many successful educational interventions. Platforms such as MTN's online school, which engages between 800,000 and 900,000 learners, teachers and parents daily, have become an important aspect of education. However, it is important to consider education from a holistic perspective that includes teacher training, equipment, connectivity and other factors. He highlighted the innovation emerging from companies and nonprofits, as well as opportunities to further scale up these efforts.
From programs to systemic change
Reflecting on the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT)'s strategic pivot away from working at the programmatic level to position itself as a systemic player and work with districts, Dr Godwin Khosa, CEO of NECT, said a systemic approach is the lens through which the complexity of education delivery can be understood.
NECT looked at how classroom outcomes were significantly influenced by complex systems beyond the school, at circuit, district and provincial levels. It shifted its strategy to work upstream, while raising its game in building trust to ensure buy-in. Khosa acknowledged that dealing with the system is far more complex than launching clearly defined projects and programmes. However, highlighting inadequacies such as ineffective district monitoring and support for schools and identifying gaps and tensions within the system provided a roadmap for interventions to bring about system-wide change.
Identifying inconsistencies within the same system across provinces revealed where immediate interventions could be implemented and how to begin ensuring better returns on investment in education.
Matching systemic interventions with classroom needs
Although high-level interventions are necessary for widespread system change, it is essential that these changes are effective at the classroom level. Schoolnet Executive Director Omashani Naidoo issued a reminder that much of the need in the education sector involves reducing systemic stressors arising from the apartheid era, including basic issues such as adequate sanitation and running water.
Reflecting on the results, Madley challenges the idea that more effort is needed to invest in data research, noting that more than 40% of CSI spending is already allocated to education. He suggested that more efforts need to be made towards enabling implementing partners and scaling up efforts.
Khosa argued that the real work lies among the thousands of district office staff who look after the country's schools and convert the R320bn allocated for education into value. He pointed out how many districts lack necessary management documents and healthy organizational practices. Others deal with more mid-level issues, such as lack of coordination with provincial and national plans, which filter down to schools. Many districts struggle with cultural issues because they do not have an understanding of what excellence and responsibility represents for the district.
He believes that changing this situation will make the most difference to national education, even if it takes decades to achieve.
Commenting on the value of advocacy, Naidu rejected advocacy being tainted by political agendas and advocacy for self-interest. She said that rather than well-articulated policies that fail to work for the people living under them, she would like to see systemic reforms that work within the system to reduce stress for children.
Role of collaborative CSI in education ecosystem
Speaking on the collaboration process in the education sector, Madley said that education should be seen not only as a system, but as a value chain. While greater collaboration is needed, the value chain sometimes needs to be divided, with different parties playing different roles. For example, while MTN focuses on primary and secondary school interventions, its corporate rival, Vodacom, focuses on early childhood development. He commented, “When it comes to social sustainability, environmental space, we are not competitive. The size of the problem is huge.”
Madley suggested that the role of liaison and coordination in sector collaboration might be best placed with government, as CSI partners and non-profits all work with government. “At the end of the day it's an ecosystem of partners that maintains a system.”
Funding programs for systemic change may mean less direct ownership and control within the ecosystem and less corporate visibility in the process. Madley said CSI needs to remember that its objective is social upliftment for broader economic value rather than brand visibility. It is more important to improve methods of measuring the impact of educational interventions and generating evidence of correlations. The ability to demonstrate this value is what makes a business a case for continued investment.
Khosa reminded the audience that measuring systems change is just as “messy” as the problem itself. Many factors influence education performance, including how children are taught, the materials they receive, their learning environment, nutritional status, and many other factors. He explained how good metrics provide a means to address the complexities of a system. “It's a matter of changing our narrative, changing the way we look at education reform. There are very reliable, valid metrics that we can use.”
Responding to a listener's question about how to prioritize various needs in the education sector, for example, strengthening the curriculum or proper school facilities, Khosa said the issue is not about these decisions, but rather one of poor coordination. While arguing that different sectors have different priorities, the real issue is the failure of the system to prioritize multiple challenges.
He advised players in the region to invest 20% of their contribution in building programming capacities at the district and provincial levels. He said strengthening the system in the long term will support planning capabilities that will create clear and effective opportunities for non-profit and private sector intervention. “Those capabilities are very limited at the moment…we are wasting our time by not paying any attention to them.” Building state capacities to plan, monitor and implement interventions will improve the allocation and utilization of adequate resources allocated to education.
Asked what alternative contributions companies could make to education besides funding, Naidu encouraged companies to adopt schools and transform their facilities into better places through maintenance or volunteering. He explained that this approach requires responding to the needs of the individual school rather than imposing preconceived, uninformed ideas into place.
Naidu said the urgency and need in the country's education sector requires the ability to articulate what we want for South Africa's children and build a system to achieve it. This thinking needs to respond to Africa's unique needs and ways of working.
Leveraging system-level success in education
In the concluding round, panelists were asked to identify untapped opportunities or leverage points for system change.
Madley highlighted the need to enhance excellence in its various forms by enhancing individual learner and teacher excellence to influence others.
Khosa said that people are the key to change. Thousands of employees at the district level need energy, skills and resources to boost productivity and effectiveness. His call for cultural change in the system was echoed by an audience member with this contribution;
“It is important that we look at it holistically. Culture is not abstract. It is constructed through arts, sports and cultural activities at the school level. Over time, many of these activities have become increasingly privatized. As a result, regional and provincial platforms have weakened and access has become unequal. Yet these are the places where identities are shaped, talents are nurtured and social cohesion is built. If we recognize this, our foundation is set.”
Naidu called for efforts to enhance the future earning potential of children through a learning approach that develops attitudes and skills that will help them find employment. “Let's make our children hopeful that there is something for them in this world and that they have something to give it. It's not a glamorous job that unfortunately a lot of people fund but it's necessary.”
Achieving system-level change means addressing these alongside access to digital connectivity, support of districts, and efforts to provide quality education that leads to economic inclusion or teacher support. It's more than just a checklist. Naidu said digital education has an important role in rejuvenating our stagnant curriculum and teaching approach
The audience was asked to consider what contribution business could make to driving systemic change in education.
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