By Thapelo Molefe
Premier Panyaza Lesufi has announced the construction of 18 additional schools in Gauteng as the province grapples with a placement crisis that has left about 2,000 learners still without classrooms.
Delivering the 2026 State of the Province Address on Monday, Lesufi framed education as central to social mobility and economic transformation, while acknowledging mounting pressure on the admissions system.
“Education is a great equaliser. It accounts for the difference between poverty and social mobility,” he said.
The new schools form part of efforts to ease overcrowding and reduce the annual admissions backlog that continues to frustrate parents across the province.
“Our school admission online registration process will be improved and strengthened to ease pain and frustration of our parents,” Lesufi said.
“The online registration is an important transformation tool to ensure all our schools are accessible to all our children. To ease this pain, we are constructing 18 additional new schools.”
Gauteng’s rapid population growth has placed severe strain on infrastructure, particularly in township communities. Each year, thousands of parents compete for limited spaces, and this year around 2,000 learners remain unplaced.
Lesufi confirmed that two new schools opened in January, with another set to open next month.
“In January, we opened two new schools, and next month we will open Ratanang Primary School in Hammanskraal,” he said.
He described the Hammanskraal school as a flagship facility.
“This top school features 28 classrooms, computer labs and a fully digitised teaching environment, sports facilities and learner-friendly combi courts. No one invests better in township school infrastructure than us.”
The Premier also highlighted strong matric outcomes as evidence that infrastructure investment is paying off.
“Allow me to also congratulate the matric class of 2025 on attaining 89.06%, the highest ever overall pass rate achieved by the Grade 12 cohort since the introduction of the NSC qualification,” he said.
He added that 20 township schools achieved a 100% matric pass rate, with Lufhereng Secondary School and Siyabonga Secondary School producing exceptionally high Bachelor pass rates.
While celebrating these achievements, Lesufi acknowledged safety concerns following the scholar transport tragedy in Vanderbijlpark that claimed 14 learners’ lives.
“We must do so much more to ensure that the lives of our children are safe and sound,” he said. “We are focusing on ensuring that all scholar transport in the province is safe and compliant.”
With thousands of learners still awaiting placement, pressure remains on the provincial government to ensure the new schools come online quickly enough to stabilise the system and prevent future admissions crises.
INSIDE EDUCATION
