The minister of higher education is the minister in the

Cabinet of South Africa The Cabinet of South Africa is the most senior level of the executive branch of the Government of South Africa. It is made up of the president, the deputy president, and the ministers. Overview The cabinet of South Africa consists of the Presi ...

with responsibility for

higher education in South Africa Education in South Africa is governed by two national departments, namely the Department of Basic Education (DBE), which is responsible for primary and secondary schools, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), which is r ...

. The post was created as the minister of higher education and training in May 2009. It was called the minister of higher education, science and technology between May 2019 and June 2024.

History

Before 10 May 2009, higher education was the responsibility of the

minister of education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

. On 10 May 2009, announcing his first cabinet, President

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan names Nxamalala and Msholozi. Zuma was a for ...

bifurcated that portfolio, creating the new minister of higher education and training, alongside a

minister of basic education The minister of basic education is the Minister (government), minister in the Cabinet of South Africa who has political responsibility for the Department of Basic Education. The portfolio includes both primary education, primary and secondary ed ...

. When President

Cyril Ramaphosa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa (born 17 November 1952) is a South African businessman and politician serving as the 5th and current President of South Africa since 2018. A former Anti-Apartheid Movement, anti-apartheid activist and trade union leade ...

announced his second-term cabinet on 29 May 2019, he announced that the Ministry of Science and Technology would be absorbed by the higher education portfolio, creating the enlarged portfolio of the new minister of higher education, Science and Technology. However, Ramaphosa reversed the merger in his third cabinet, announced on 30 June 2024; henceforth there was an independent minister of science, technology and innovation, while the higher education portfolio was the provenance of the minister of higher education.

List of ministers with responsibility for higher education

References

External links

Ministry of EducationDepartment of Education
{{SouthAfrica-gov-stub

Education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

Lists of political office-holders in South Africa