By Johnathan Paoli
The Gauteng education department has confirmed significant progress in resolving long-standing municipal debt owed by public schools and outlined major infrastructure plans to address overcrowding.
The department announced on Thursday that as of the end of June, it had successfully settled 99.95% of the R426.45 million owed to municipalities and Eskom by schools without Section 21(1)(d) financial functions.
“As the department, we remain committed to ensuring sound financial governance, transparency and service continuity in all public schools. We call on all education stakeholders, particularly parents, communities and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to continue working closely with the department to deliver quality learning environments across Gauteng,” education MEC Matome Chiloane said.
A remaining balance of just R175,853.61, amounting to 0.05%, will be cleared by mid-August.
The delay in finalising the last payment was attributed to technical updates linked to the Standard Chart of Accounts, an accounting reform introduced by the Provincial Treasury to modernise and enhance financial management systems across government departments.
The department currently retains direct financial control over 40 public schools in Gauteng that have not been granted Section 21 functions, which would otherwise allow SGBs to manage their own finances.
As of last month, these schools had a combined municipal debt of just over R105,000.
The department confirmed that none of these schools have been disconnected from basic services such as water and electricity, and that active financial oversight and payments were ongoing to prevent any future disruptions.
Schools are funded annually according to the Amended National Norms and Standards for School Funding.
SGBs are expected to use these allocations prudently, with guidance from compliance workshops and departmental circulars.
These funds are also meant to supplement state contributions to ensure the financial sustainability of each school.
To confront the persistent challenge of overcrowding in Gauteng schools, the department is investing R2.8 billion in school infrastructure development during the 2025/26 financial year.
Of this total, R1.489 billion is allocated for constructing new schools and replacing dilapidated infrastructure, R615 million will go toward upgrades and additions, including mobile classrooms and self-build projects, R166 million is dedicated to refurbishment and rehabilitation, and R476 million is allocated to maintenance interventions.
The department outlined a multifaceted approach to solving overcrowding, focusing on both short-term relief and long-term sustainability.
This includes the construction of new schools on available land, expansion of classrooms within existing school sites using cost-effective self-build methods, and the direct procurement of mobile classrooms.
In a move to accelerate infrastructure delivery in high-pressure areas, the department is actively exploring a public-private partnership model.
Under this initiative, private sector partners will design, build and potentially maintain new schools, while the government pays for the infrastructure over time through agreed amortisation schedules.
Chiloane reiterated the department’s commitment to fiscal discipline, transparency and continuous service delivery, urging all stakeholders, including parents, SGBs and community members to collaborate with the department in its efforts to improve the quality of education and school environments.
The department encouraged the public to follow its platforms for further updates and insights into ongoing programmes.
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