State Fails to Deliver on President’s Digital Learning Promise: Internet Gaps and Funding Shortages Leave Schools Behind
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State Fails to Deliver on President’s Digital Learning Promise: Six years after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s pledge to provide every learner with a digital device and textbooks by 2025, South Africa’s schools remain without critical infrastructure. Discover why the promise fell short and what it means for education’s future.
Introduction: A Promise Deferred
In February 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa stood before the nation with a bold commitment: every learner in South Africa would have access to digital workbooks and textbooks on a tablet device by 2025. It was a promise that carried hope for bridging educational inequality and preparing young people for a technology-driven future.
Yet, as 2025 draws to a close, the reality tells a different story. Many schools, especially those in rural and under-resourced communities, remain without tablets, reliable internet, or even basic infrastructure to support digital learning. Parliament has now confirmed what educators, parents, and learners have long suspected—the goal has not been met.
The Original Vision: Tablets for Every Child
Ramaphosa’s announcement in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2019 was greeted with optimism. The vision was clear:
- Digital workbooks and textbooks delivered directly to learners via tablets.
- High-speed internet connectivity across schools.
- Teacher training to adapt to a new digital curriculum.
- A rollout that would make South Africa’s education system competitive with global standards.
This pledge was not only about modernising learning materials; it was also about equipping learners with digital literacy skills essential for employment in the 21st century.
Why the Plan Failed: Barriers to Delivery
Six years later, the reality has fallen short. The government cites two major challenges:
1. Lack of High-Speed Internet Connectivity
- Thousands of schools, particularly in rural provinces, remain without reliable broadband.
- Connectivity projects lagged behind schedule due to infrastructure delays and budget constraints.
- Without stable internet, digital learning tools lose much of their intended value.
2. Funding Shortages
- Rolling out tablets to millions of learners required billions of rand in investment.
- Competing priorities—such as energy security, healthcare, and basic infrastructure—limited available funds.
- Teacher training programmes were underfunded, leaving many educators unequipped to transition to digital classrooms.
The combination of these issues left the initiative stalled, with only a fraction of schools receiving the devices and resources promised.
Impact on Learners and Teachers
The failure to meet the digital learning pledge has far-reaching consequences:
- Learners in disadvantaged communities remain heavily reliant on outdated textbooks, often shared among multiple pupils.
- Teachers lack modern teaching aids, making it harder to engage students in ways that match global best practices.
- Inequality widens, as wealthier schools—often in urban areas—fund their own digital learning programmes through private resources, while poorer schools fall further behind.
A Widening Digital Divide
The situation has intensified South Africa’s digital divide. Learners in privileged schools often access:
- Interactive e-learning platforms.
- Reliable Wi-Fi and laptops.
- Advanced digital literacy training.
Meanwhile, their peers in underfunded schools may never have touched a tablet. This gap does more than disadvantage learners in exams; it impacts their future job readiness in a digital economy.
Voices from the Ground
In rural Eastern Cape, teachers report still using chalkboards and photocopied worksheets because digital tools remain out of reach. In Gauteng, by contrast, certain pilot schools boast classrooms fully equipped with smartboards and e-learning hubs.
Parents and unions argue that the uneven rollout has created two education systems—one for the privileged and one for the poor. For learners, the sense of exclusion is both immediate and long-lasting.
Global Comparisons: Where South Africa Stands
Globally, digital learning has accelerated in the last decade:
- In Kenya, digital literacy programmes have rolled out laptops and tablets in public schools, supported by private partnerships.
- In India, government initiatives have partnered with tech firms to scale e-learning in rural areas.
- In developed countries, digital learning is now standard, with students accessing interactive textbooks and online resources as part of daily learning.
South Africa’s failure to deliver on its promise leaves the country lagging behind, raising concerns about how prepared its youth will be to compete in the global digital economy.
The Cost of Broken Promises
The shortfall in delivering digital learning is not just about missed deadlines. It reflects broader issues:
- Policy follow-through: Announcements at SONA often lack detailed implementation plans.
- Budget prioritisation: Funds for education technology often lose out to urgent crises in other sectors.
- Monitoring and accountability: Without clear progress tracking, promises risk becoming political rhetoric rather than actionable goals.
For families, the result is disillusionment. For learners, it is another hurdle in an already unequal education system.
What Needs to Change: A Way Forward
Despite the setback, digital learning remains essential for South Africa’s future. Experts suggest several steps:
1. Public-Private Partnerships
Technology companies could play a larger role in supplying devices, software, and connectivity solutions at scale.
2. Infrastructure First
Before rolling out tablets, investment must go into ensuring reliable internet access and stable electricity in all schools.
3. Teacher Training
Digital learning cannot succeed without well-trained educators who can integrate technology into daily lessons.
4. Phased Rollouts with Accountability
Instead of broad promises, smaller phased programmes with clear targets and monitoring could ensure gradual but steady progress.
5. Equity in Allocation
Priority should go to under-resourced schools to prevent widening inequalities between public schools and better-funded private or semi-private institutions.
Lessons Learned
The failed rollout underscores an important lesson: vision without resources and planning cannot succeed. South Africa’s learners need more than promises—they need:
- Consistent investment in education infrastructure.
- Collaboration across government, private sector, and civil society.
- Transparent timelines with accountability measures.
Reactions in Parliament
Opposition parties have criticised the failure as a betrayal of young learners, arguing that promises should not be made without realistic funding models. The Department of Basic Education has responded by stressing that efforts are ongoing, though at a slower pace than originally envisioned.
Parliament’s education committee is now demanding a revised digital learning roadmap with realistic deadlines and clear implementation strategies.
Looking Ahead: Is Digital Learning Still Possible?
While the 2025 target has been missed, the need for digital transformation in education remains urgent. Analysts suggest that with improved funding allocation and stronger partnerships, South Africa could still realise universal digital access within the next decade.
The real question is whether political will, resources, and accountability will align to make it happen.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Did any schools receive tablets?
Yes, some pilot schools, especially in urban areas like Gauteng, received tablets and digital resources. However, nationwide coverage fell far short.
2. Why was 2025 chosen as the target year?
The six-year timeframe was seen as achievable when first announced in 2019, aligning with global digital learning trends.
3. What happens next?
Parliament is reviewing updated plans. The Department of Basic Education may present a new timeline for digital rollout.
4. Are private schools affected?
Most private schools already implement digital learning independently, further widening the gap between private and public education.
5. Will the promise be revived?
Experts believe digital learning will remain a government priority, but timelines will likely be extended beyond 2025.
Conclusion: A Call for Action
The failure to deliver on the President’s 2019 digital learning promise is more than a missed deadline—it is a setback for millions of South African learners who deserve access to modern, equitable education.
But it also offers an opportunity to rethink and rebuild. By focusing on practical, sustainable solutions—such as strengthening infrastructure, training teachers, and forging partnerships—South Africa can still make digital learning a reality.
The dream of putting a tablet in every learner’s hands should not be abandoned. Instead, it must be pursued with urgency, transparency, and a renewed commitment to the future of education.
