An education collective made up of academics, teachers and educators have written to Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube saying that Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education is one of the most powerful tools South Africa has to ensure equity, access and real opportunity to learn for the majority of learners in South Africa. That is why we welcomed the Department of Basic Education’s bold commitment to Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education from 2025. We have been encouraged by your own public support for Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education and your clear grasp of what is at stake. South Africa cannot afford to let Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education slip from the national agenda. We call on you to reaffirm Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education as a core priority of the Department of Basic Education, and to provide the sustained political will and resources it needs to succeed.