Inside Education covers the latest news, analysis and developments across South Africa's education sector. From higher education policy to classroom innovation, we bring educators, students and parents the stories that matter most.
KwaZulu-Natal has recorded the highest rate of corporal punishment by teachers in South Africa, with 21.1% of learners in the province reporting that they were subjected to physical punishment at school in 2024.
Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile said that school safety cannot be left to government and police alone, calling on parents, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and educators to take greater responsibility after another round of search-and-seizure operations uncovered more than 120 prohibited items at six schools in the Vaal.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has maintained the suspension of the new Foundation Phase National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3, saying the decision is necessary to protect the 2027 academic year while concerns over the procurement process are addressed.
The Santa Shoebox Project has opened its 2026 pledging season, with the children’s charity aiming to deliver festive-season Shoeboxes to more than 80,000 children as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
The North West Department of Education is again considering reviving the Adopt-a-Cop programme after three schools were damaged by fires within two weeks.
The tragic murder of Uyinene Mrwetyana made this painfully clear. Her story is a stark reminder that the route between where a student lives and where they study is just as critical to their safety as what happens inside the lecture hall.
The latest cohort, comprising 10 males and eight females, was selected from 2,480 applicants following a competitive recruitment process launched in May 2025.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has renewed concerns about what the union described as escalating learner indiscipline, including verbal abuse, threats, intimidation and physical attacks against educators.
