By Levy Masiteng
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has said that long-delayed subsidies to special schools will finally be paid on Monday, with affected institutions expected to receive the funds by Thursday.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the department attributed the delay to unforeseen technical glitches that disrupted its payment processing system.
According to the department’s 2025/2026 budget vote speech, there are 77 public special needs schools in the province, in which 22 077 learners are enrolled.
“The Department acknowledges the vital role that special schools play in providing quality education and essential support to learners with special needs. We extend our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and distress caused by the delayed payments,” the statement said.
Several special schools in the province were forced to close due to the department’s repeated failure to pay subsidies on time, including Truro Prevocational School in Chatsworth, which has officially closed due to insolvency, and Pro Nobis School for learners with special needs in Dundee, which is on the brink of closure after months of delayed payments.
As previously reported by Inside Education, the schools have been struggling to pay staff and cover essential expenses such as electricity, security, transport and insurance.
This week, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal released a statement calling on Premier Thami Ntuli and Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka to urgently address the funding crisis.
“This is not an administrative oversight – it is a violation of the rights and dignity of KZN’s most vulnerable learners,” said DA education spokesperson, Sakhile Mngadi.
Said Hlomuka in the department’s statement: “We value the dedication of special schools and their staff, and we appreciate their patience, understanding, and cooperation as we work to resolve this matter.”
INSIDE EDUCATION
