Thousands of Gauteng learners could again face school placement challenges in 2027 as the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has yet to announce when Grade 1 and Grade 8 admissions will open, despite the academic year already being well underway.

DA shadow MEC for Education Sergio Isa Dos Santos on Tuesday urged the department to urgently release the admissions timetable, warning that continued delays could leave learners unplaced when schools reopen next year.

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“The delay in opening the admissions process reduces the time available to properly process applications, verify information, and finalise placements before the start of the academic year,” Dos Santos said.

He said past delays had already had serious consequences for learners and parents.

“During the 2026 admissions cycle, thousands of learners remained unplaced as schools prepared to reopen, with some only receiving placements in March when the first term was almost over,” he said.

Popular schools in Gauteng continue to reach capacity quickly, while infrastructure expansion has struggled to keep pace with rising learner numbers.

At the same time, administrative backlogs in the admissions system have added to delays in finalising placements, leaving many parents uncertain about where their children will be placed.

In this environment, perceptions of unfairness often arise, particularly when communication from education authorities is limited and clear timelines are not provided.

In previous years, some parents only received placements weeks into the academic year, heightening frustration over the system’s efficiency.

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The issue of school non-placement is not framed around citizens versus non-citizens, but rather as a system under strain that is struggling to meet demand.

While the Constitution guarantees every child the right to basic education, stakeholders argue that this right is undermined when learners are not placed timeously and consistently.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for the immediate opening of the 2027 admissions process, alongside improved planning measures such as decentralised walk-in centres and stronger communication with parents.

The party argues that earlier application windows would give the department more time to process placements, reduce administrative pressure, and allow families to plan for school-related costs such as uniforms, transport and stationery.

“The department must learn from its past mistakes. We cannot continue to repeat a cycle where learners are left unplaced or placed too late into the school year,” Dos Santos said.

The DA further maintains that improved and earlier admissions management would help reduce administrative errors and ensure learners are placed before the start of the academic year, limiting disruption to schooling.

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The DA in Gauteng has accused the provincial government (GPG) of failing to remove ageing asbestos structures from Randfontein Secondary School and Toekomsrus Primary School, saying learners and teachers remain exposed to unsafe buildings despite repeated promises to replace them.

DA Gauteng Education spokesperson Sergio Isa Dos Santos, MPL, said on Monday that teachers were continuing to work in unsafe environments that compromised their safety and dignity, despite the Gauteng government’s long-standing promise to replace asbestos schools with safe, modern infrastructure.

“During a recent sitting of the Gauteng Legislature, MEC for Infrastructure Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Jacob Mamabolo, failed to give a clear answer to the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) oral question on why the GPG has still not eradicated asbestos infrastructure years after missing the deadlines set out in the 2013 Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure,” Dos Santos said.

“Instead, he repeated the government’s hollow commitment to asbestos eradication, with no clear timeline or end in sight.”

Dos Santos said the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) had previously allocated about R112 million for rehabilitation and asbestos-related infrastructure upgrades at Randfontein Secondary School.

Despite that allocation, he said, a DA oversight inspection found that critical safety hazards remained unresolved, including an incomplete administration block, unfinished bathrooms, falling ceiling panels and staircases missing safety bars, all of which continued to put learners and staff at risk.

“Shockingly, the department’s so-called intervention in this school seems to have involved building brick-and-mortar structures around existing asbestos classrooms rather than completely removing them,” he said.

“Most of these structures have since deteriorated or collapsed, exposing learners and educators to cracked and broken asbestos panels.”

Dos Santos said the situation had been worsened by severe overcrowding at the school, with Grade 8 classes recording learner-to-teacher ratios of 1:50 and Grade 11 classes reaching as high as 1:73.

At Toekomsrus Primary School, Dos Santos said asbestos infrastructure remained in place and required urgent replacement.

“Some of the school’s mobile classrooms are more than 30 years old and need to be removed, while the roof blocks are in dire need of maintenance,” he said.

“Although the department assessed the school two years ago, no work has been carried out.”

Dos Santos said he was “outraged” that the GPG continued to delay the eradication of asbestos schools despite the well-known deadly health risks linked to asbestos exposure.

“The DA will escalate the issue to Premier Panyaza Lesufi for urgent intervention,” he said.

“Those responsible for these unacceptable delays must be held accountable for continuing to hold learners and educators hostage in unsafe and undignified conditions.”

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has said that schools will start receiving delayed subsidy payments from the beginning of June, after missing the May deadline for the first tranche of funding.

In a statement issued over the weekend, the department said it acknowledged the delay in releasing the subsidies to schools across the province, adding that  the funds were expected to have been deposited into school accounts by 15 May.

“Firstly, we would like to express our apologies to all schools and stakeholders of Gauteng for the delays in the release of funds schools are entitled to as per paragraph 12A of the National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF),”Gauteng Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC, Lebogang Maile said.

The subsidies are meant to cover critical operational costs at schools, including learning and teaching support materials, municipal services, maintenance, and administrative expenses.

“We recognise that the funds are also key in the promotion of proper school governance, financial management, and improved educational outcomes while addressing historical injustices of our society and improving conditions in previously underfunded public schools,” Maile added.

Under paragraph 121A of the National Norms and Standards for School Funding, provincial education departments must make transfer payments to public schools on or before 15 May and 15 November each year.

The department said schools had already received final allocation letters indicating how much funding they would receive during the current financial year.

“We want to assure the public and all stakeholders that the funds are there and schools will start accessing them from the start of June,” Maile said. 

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The Gauteng Department of Education has launched the African Neurodiversity Association and the African Journal of Neurodiversity, in a move aimed at strengthening autism research, advocacy, and support from an African perspective.

The initiative was unveiled at the University of South Africa’s Muckleneuk campus in Pretoria on Wednesday, as part of commemorations linked to World Autism Awareness Day.

Delivering his keynote address, Gauteng MEC for Education Lebogang Maile said the launch marked an important step towards addressing gaps in research, policy and support for neurodiverse individuals.

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“The African Journal of Neurodiversity aims to advance knowledge of neurodiversity and neurodiverse individuals from an Afrocentric perspective,” Maile said.

He said the journal would publish research, case studies, policy briefs and practical tools focused on neurodevelopmental conditions within the African context.

“These contributions will help us better understand neurodiversity in our communities and improve support for individuals and families,” he said.

The initiative is supported through partnerships with the universities of Johannesburg, Pretoria and the North-West, as well as organisations such as Autism South Africa and other stakeholders in the health and education sectors.

Maile said the move also responded to the shortage of African-led research in the field of autism and neurodiversity.

“While the majority of autistic individuals live in low- and middle-income countries, very little research originates from regions such as sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.

“[A]pproximately 95% of low autistic individuals live in low -and middle- income countries, [but] less than 1% of global autism research originates from regions such as sub-Saharan Africa,” he said.

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“This has led to an over-reliance on Western models that do not always reflect our cultural and linguistic realities.”

Maile said the Gauteng government had expanded access to education and support services for autistic learners.

“As of 2026, there are eight autism-specific schools in the province, with four located in townships,” Maile said.

He said resources provided at these schools included curriculum kits, autism-specific playground equipment, therapeutic and sensory regulation equipment, access to social workers for parents, and skills development programmes.

He added that 35 special schools support autistic learners through dedicated units or inclusive programmes.

“To date, over 5,000 parents, educators and community members have been trained in autism awareness, teaching strategies and behaviour management,” he said.

Four schools — Futura Special School, Randburg Clinic School, Via Nova School and Curamus School for Autism — have been designated as resource centres and are implementing a parent support programme developed by the World Health Organisation.

“We are working to ensure that parents and communities are equipped to support autistic individuals where they live,” Maile said.

Maile said 60 parents were expected to complete a 13-week programme that would equip them to become support champions within their communities.

“We must move beyond awareness towards acceptance and inclusion, as emphasised by the United Nations,” he said.

“Our goal is to build a society where autistic and other neurodiverse individuals can thrive.”

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The Gauteng education department will appoint a law firm to investigate the collapse of a school wall that killed an 8-year-old learner at Lerutle Primary School in Daveyton, it said on Monday.

Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane announced the investigation during a visit to the family of Grade 3 learner Lwazi Motuse in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni.

The department said the independent probe would seek to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collapse, in which five other learners were injured.

“We convey our sincerest condolences to the bereaved family. We remain committed to supporting the family and the entire Lerutle Primary School community during this deeply difficult time,” Chiloane said.

The department said it continued to provide psycho-social support to affected learners, teachers and the bereaved family. It confirmed that all other learners injured in the incident had since been discharged from hospital.

The wall collapse is the second fatal school incident this year to trigger an external investigation by Chiloane.

On 18 March, the MEC formally introduced a law firm to investigate the death of 10-year-old Milton Neo Mokgoatsane, a Grade 5 learner at Reagile Primary School in Winnie Mandela, Tembisa, after a goal post fell on him during break time in February.

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The Vodacom Foundation, supported by the Gauteng Department of Education, has invested R2 million in the School of Excellence model at Usizolwethu Special Needs School in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, to strengthen digital learning for pupils with intellectual disabilities.

Vodacom said the investment would equip the school with advanced information and communications technology infrastructure, including a fully installed local area network and special needs equipment.

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The upgrades will also include renovated learning laboratories, a secure storage facility, reliable connectivity and a solar power solution to support uninterrupted learning.

The school will also benefit from the development of a vegetable garden intended to promote nutrition and sustainability within the school community.

“We are very pleased to be launching another School of Excellence. This partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration in creating a better, more inclusive, and sustainable future,” said Director of External Affairs for Vodacom South Africa, Taki Netshitenzhe,.

“Public-private partnerships like this are effective in addressing societal challenges at scale and building pathways for young people to participate meaningfully in the digital economy.”

According to Vodacom, it has invested more than R40 million in 39 Schools of Excellence across South Africa to date, supporting major infrastructure upgrades such as connected learning centres, improved safety measures, sanitation upgrades, the removal of pit latrines and repairs to damaged school infrastructure.

The programme currently supports about 40,000 learners across the 39 schools nationwide. Vodacom said each School of Excellence is strategically located alongside an Early Childhood Development Centre, a Teacher Centre and a Vodacom ICT Academy to create a support ecosystem for learners, educators and surrounding communities.

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Usizolwethu Special Needs School principal Nombulelo Skosana welcomed the partnership, saying it would significantly enhance learning opportunities for the school’s learners.

“We are profoundly grateful to Vodacom for the partnership and the immense opportunities this educational ecosystem will unlock for our learners, educators, and the wider Daveyton community,” Skosana said.

“The infrastructure, connectivity, and support systems implemented by Vodacom with the support of the Gauteng Education Department will greatly enrich our teaching and learning environment, preparing our students to thrive in an increasingly digital world.”

The investment comes as South Africa’s special needs education sector continues to face systemic pressures.

Last month, Inside Education spoke to Jackie Selley, an occupational therapist and principal at the Centre for Autism, Research and Education (CARE), a private and independent special needs school in Orange Grove, Johannesburg.

The centre supports children with autism from 18 months to 21-years-old.

Selley said many learners arrive at CARE after struggling in mainstream or remedial schools, or after spending years at home without adequate support following their diagnosis.

“Let’s say parents realise their child’s different at three, and by the time we get them into a school that can support them at seven, we’ve lost four years of supporting their development,” she said.

“The process isn’t streamlined enough to help these children and these families. We’re losing three years of a child’s life.”

According to Selley, the main solution lies in stronger investment in human resources, including more therapists, educational psychologists and specialised schools.

“If the government were able to allocate more money to human resources, there could be enough therapists, more special needs schools, and well-trained educational psychologists at schools,” she said.

“The solution lies not in sympathy, but in investment.”

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She added that accessing diagnosis and school placement can be a long and expensive process for many families.

It was reported that diagnosis through Gauteng provincial hospitals can take between six months and a year, while educational psychologist assessments, often required for school placement, can cost between R3,000 and R12,000.

Even after those steps, placements in special needs schools can take an additional one to two years because of long waiting lists.

Selley said that autism-specific schools remain limited outside Gauteng, with provinces such as Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal facing particularly long waiting lists.

Vodacom said its Daveyton initiative forms part of its long-term commitment to inclusive, quality education and support for the government’s Education Vision 2030.

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said on Wednesday that 8.5% (33,650) of applications for the 2026 placement of Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners through its Online Admissions System were submitted during the late application period from December 17, 2025, to January 30, 2026.

The department said that about 484 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners had remained unplaced in Ekurhuleni, specifically in Tembisa and Kempton Park, but that by Tuesday, March 3, all remaining learners were successfully placed at alternative schools in their respective areas.

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“In numbers, the total figure of Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners placed for the 2026 academic year through Gauteng’s Online Admissions system is 392,224,” the department said.

“The main application period, which ran from July 24 to August 5, 2025, accounts for most of these placements.”

The department said schools will implement catch-up programmes to help learners recover lost curriculum time.

GDE MEC Matome Chiloane said the online admissions system remains a key tool in transforming access to education.

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“We are pleased to have successfully placed all applicants who applied online,” Chiloane said.

“However, we are determined to improve the system to ease some of the frustrations encountered during this process.”

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said it is finalising the appointment of a law firm to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of a Grade R boy learner from Bernard Isaacs Primary School in Coronationville, Johannesburg.

It said the firm will be formally introduced to the bereaved family and the school community by Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane on Tuesday.

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The boy died on Monday, the department said. He reportedly sustained injuries while on the school premises and was later hospitalised. The parents were notified later the same day that their child had died.

The department said the law firm would establish the full facts and circumstances surrounding the incident, and would ensure transparency in the process.

Chiloane visited the family on Friday to offer condolences and support during their “unimaginably painful period”.

“We stand with the family in their time of sorrow and will continue to provide the necessary support as investigations proceed,” he said.

He said the department was committed to ensuring a thorough and impartial investigation.

“It is important that we allow an independent process to unfold so that the family and the broader school community can have clarity on what transpired,” he said.

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The Gauteng Education Department (GED) is in talks with public scholar transport operators to settle outstanding payments after some service providers halted operations on Monday, leaving learners stranded and contributing to low attendance at several schools.

The disruption comes just weeks after a fatal scholar transport crash in the Vaal area in mid-January, when a minibus transporting pupils collided with a truck near Vanderbijlpark, leaving 14 schoolchildren dead, and the driver of the minibus charged with murder.

The GDE said in a statement that it acknowledged the “challenges” currently affecting the GDE Scholar Transport Programme, which led to some providers stopping work on Monday.

The department said it was “actively engaging” with operators to address unpaid invoices.

“We appeal to service providers to provide a continuous, uninterrupted transportation of all learners under the programme as we work tirelessly within available financial processes to finalise payments accordingly,” the department said.

It advised schools to use appropriate academic recovery measures to ensure that teaching and learning remained on track until the matter was resolved.

“We remain committed to collaboration and constructive engagements with our stakeholders in resolving any matters that may arise. To this end, we encourage all our stakeholders to always engage with us on issues they face within the sector,” said Education MEC Matome Chiloane.

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) are at loggerheads over claims of a drastic 64% reduction in operational budgets for Quintile 5 schools, due to take effect from 1 April.

The DA has accused the department of slashing funding in a way that will “devastate schools, teachers and learners.”

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The GDE, however, has dismissed the allegations as “false, misleading, and reckless.”

Gauteng DA spokesperson for education, Michael Waters, said the department’s denial “is a lie” and contradicts its own official responses in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

“The GDE’s claim that it has not cut Quintile 5 school budgets by 64% is hollow and misleading,” Waters argued.

He added that “no government facing a budget shortfall should ever consider cutting funding to schools. It is unjust, unfair, and ultimately the coward’s way out. Instead of taking difficult decisions to rein in waste and non‑core spending, the ANC‑led Gauteng government has chosen the softest and most vulnerable target – children.”

The GDE insists that what is being implemented is not a cut but an interim funding realignment, prompted by severe budget reductions imposed by the National Treasury across all provinces.

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According to the department, the adjusted funding levels for Quintile 5 schools are aligned with the national norms and standards for school funding set by the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

“This process does not constitute a budget cut, but rather a realignment to nationally prescribed adequacy rates, particularly correcting the historical funding of certain Quintile 5 fee‑paying schools,” the GDE said.

The department added that schools were notified as early as September last year through indicative budget allocation certificates, providing what it described as “ample notice and transparency.”

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane acknowledged the province is grappling with a R444 million shortfall in the current financial year and a projected R160 million shortfall over the 2026 Medium‑Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

“This is a temporary stabilisation intervention designed to keep the system functional and compliant while managing severe financial constraints,” Chiloane said.

“Despite these constraints, the GDE has prioritised the protection of classrooms, ensured teaching and learning continue uninterrupted, and honoured its Learning and Teaching Support Material payments in full and on time.”

Chiloane also argued that if petitions are to be delivered, they should be directed to the Department of Basic Education, which is responsible for national funding norms and allocations.

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Waters rejected the department’s terminology.

“This is not a ‘realignment’. It is not a ‘stabilisation intervention’. It is a cut and a devastating one at the expense of schools, teachers, and learners.”

The DA has launched a public petition calling for the reversal of the alleged cuts. As of Saturday, the petition had gathered 5,241 signatures, with 24,759 more needed to reach its target of 30,000 supporters.

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The death toll from a scholar transport crash near Vanderbijlpark has risen to 14 after a learner died in hospital on Monday evening.

The crash took place early Monday morning, when a private minibus taxi collided with a truck.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the minibus taxi was transporting learners to five different schools, including both primary and high schools.

At the time of the crash, the Toyota Quantum was overloaded, carrying 17 learners instead of the certified 14 occupants, according to police.

This was not the first time the driver had driven recklessly. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane confirmed that the driver had previously been reprimanded for reckless driving.

Eleven schoolchildren died at the scene, three other learners later succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

According to an eyewitness who was overtaken by the scholar transport taxi, the driver overtook his vehicle and four other cars before colliding with the truck.

The minibus taxi driver is currently in hospital receiving medical treatment. Police have opened a case of culpable homicide.

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The death toll from a scholar transport crash near Vanderbijlpark has risen to 13, the Gauteng Department of Education said on Monday afternoon.

“All information remains preliminary as investigations continue,” the department added.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said he was “deeply devastated” by the crash, which occurred at around 7am when a private scholar transport vehicle collided with a side tipper truck on Fred Droste Road.

“It really is a tragic day for us as the Department and the province. We extend our deepest condolences to the learners, families, and school communities affected. We call for greater vigilance when it comes to scholar transports, particularly private scholar transport,” said Chiloane.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said she had learned “with deep sadness” of the crash.

“The Department of Basic Education stands ready to provide psychosocial support to affected learners, educators, and families, in collaboration with the Gauteng Department of Education,” Gwarube said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a statement in which he addressed the crash and the weekend violence on the Cape Flats.

He said he was saddened by the loss of life of children in both incidents and offered his “deepest sympathies to all families and communities concerned”.

“Our children are the nation’s most precious assets and we must do all we can – from observing the rules of the road to the quality of service providers appointed to transport scholars – to protect learners.”

The president said national and provincial authorities would provide families and schools with psychosocial support.

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has confirmed that 11 schoolchildren died on Monday on their way to school, after a private minibus taxi collided with a truck near Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal.

Emergency services are currently at the scene, and authorities have secured the area as investigations into the cause of the collision are underway.

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According to GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona, preliminary reports indicate that the 11 learners died at the scene, while five others sustained critical injuries and are receiving medical care.

“At this stage the scene remains active, and emergency services are still attending to the accident,” Mabona added.

Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane is making his way to the scene to oversee the emergency response and support efforts.

This is a developing story

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Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane has dismissed what he said were misleading and unfounded claims that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) prioritises foreign nationals over South African learners when placing children in public schools.

“We wish to reiterate that the department does not have a directive that instructs schools or officials to prioritise foreign nationals during learner placements,” Chiloane said. 

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He added that no school is permitted to place foreign national learners ahead of South African learners, warning that any school or official found contravening admissions policies would face consequences.

The department said applications for Grades 2 to 7 and Grades 9 to 11 are handled directly by schools, unlike the online admissions system used for Grade 1 and Grade 8 placements, which limits the department’s ability to influence placements.

Schools have been opened since Wednesday, and the department said only 2,763 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners remained unplaced across the province, including 735 Grade 1 learners and 2,028 Grade 8 learners. 

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“The only limitation that currently poses a challenge is the lack of capacity in schools, particularly in high-pressure areas. Despite this, the department is working diligently to identify available spaces and ensure that every learner is placed as fairly and efficiently as possible,” the department said.

The GDE Online Admissions system has already placed 27,140 late applicants for Grade 1 and Grade 8, including 14,273 Grade 1 learners and 12,867 Grade 8 learners. 

“We remain committed to ensuring that every child who qualifies for placement is accommodated at a public school in Gauteng,” Chiloane said. 

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced that late applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 will open on 17 December 2025.

This follows MEC Matome Chiloane’s update on the latest progress regarding Grade 1 and Grade 8 learner placements for the 2026 academic year through the Gauteng Online Admissions system.

The announcement, made on Thursday at King Edward VII School in Johannesburg, provided an update on placement progress, indicating that as of 3 December, 88.7% of learners had been placed.

“317 988 out of 358 574 Grade 1 & Grade 8 unique applicants have been placed,” Chiloane said.

According to the department, 160 262 learners have been placed in Grade 1, while 157 726 have been placed in Grade 8.

However, 40 586 learners remain unplaced, with some experiencing delays due to late submission of required documents, falsified proof of home addresses, and requests to reverse acceptance of placement offers.

“The placement process is slowed by parents/guardians who do not accept offers as final and hold onto spaces,” said Chiloane.

“We urge parents to accept placement offers to ensure that all learners are placed in schools.”

The department has identified schools that have reached full capacity and is working to secure alternative placements for unplaced learners.

“About seven primary schools with capacity ranging from 160 – 300, received between 1000 to 1387 applications to process and about 140 Secondary Schools received between 1000 and 3 288 applications to process. These schools have reached capacity,” Chiloane said.

“Over five years, we approved the construction of 3 799 additional self-built classrooms, providing approximately 250 000 spaces and currently, schools are in the process of building 1 745 self-built classrooms to accommodate at least 61 075 learners.”

The GDE also announced that the provincial matric results ceremony will take place on 13 January 2026 at the BCX Multi-Function Room in Centurion, in partnership with the Telkom Foundation.

“To Gauteng’s extraordinary Matric Class of 2025, you have demonstrated remarkable resilience, discipline, and courage throughout your NSC journey,” said Chiloane.

“You now stand at the end of a 12-year path that began with your very first steps into a classroom. The same commitment you have shown over the past 12 years should guide you as you build the lives you envision.”

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Bullying and violence in Gauteng schools remain a significant challenge, affecting learners’ mental health, academic performance and overall well-being, prompting calls for stronger intervention and monitoring mechanisms.

While the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has acknowledged the problem, experts and stakeholders say the response is not yet sufficient and are urging more proactive and innovative measures to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for all pupils.

Advocates are calling for a comprehensive, centralised system to log and track bullying complaints in real time, whether they are reported formally or informally. They say such a system would help identify emerging trends, enable timely intervention and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.

According to DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, Sergio Isa Dos Santos, accountability and standardised protocols are essential.

“A real-time bullying incident reporting system, similar to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) Safe Schools model, is essential, so every case can be recorded, tracked, and responded to swiftly.

“Quarterly incident reports from schools to district offices, and ultimately to oversight bodies, would greatly improve monitoring and responsiveness.”

Dos Santos has also called for the immediate referral of serious cases to psychosocial support services so that pupils at risk receive professional help as early as possible.

Another key recommendation is the introduction of anonymous reporting tools that allow learners to flag bullying without fear of victimisation. “Tools that allow students to report bullying without fear of retribution are vital for creating an environment where learners feel safe to speak out,” he said.

Evidence-based programmes that measure conflict resolution and establish early warning systems in high-risk areas were also emphasised as effective preventative measures aimed at tackling bullying before it escalates.

Partnerships with external organisations, NGOs, social workers, and community forums are seen as critical to strengthening mental health support and anti-bullying education, with advocates pointing to the Western Cape’s Safe Schools initiative as a model.

“These programmes can help parents and caregivers identify early warning signs and support children who experience bullying,” Dos Santos said.

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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of an “obsession” and a campaign to assassinate Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s character, following a Sunday World article alleging corruption in school security tenders linked to matric exams.

In a statement issued on Monday, the department said it rejected the “misleading and sensationalist” online article published on Wednesday, 12 November, headlined, “Matric exams at risk amid alleged Gauteng school security tender corruption – DA”.

“This unfortunate article, which appears to rely solely on a statement issued by the Democratic Alliance (DA), irresponsibly questions the integrity of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations in the province”, the GDE said.

Sunday World reported that the DA had received information from an alleged whistleblower claiming senior GDE officials were engaging in systemic corruption in security tenders for “the protection of matriculation exam papers”.

The newspaper wrote that the GDE “preselected certain companies to receive tenders in exchange for kickbacks ranging from 10% to 20%”, based on the whistleblower’s claims.

The GDE said it was “deeply concerning” that Sunday World published the allegations “without any credible evidence”.

The department said the DA had become desperate in its search for “any opportunity to portray the Premier in a negative light”. It said the article was based “purely on hearsay” and had “chained” these allegations as facts without obtaining direct comment from the department.

“This approach reflects a troubling disregard for journalistic ethics and defeats the impartiality that reporting should embody,” the GDE said.

“We strongly believe that the article is misleading. It amplifies speculation and manufactures a crisis where none exists”.

The department said it condemned the spread of unverified information during the matric examination period.

It added that since the start of the NSC examinations there had been no record of “any breach in security that could compromise the integrity or facilitation of the NSC examination process in Gauteng”.

“We can confirm that all storage and distribution points have been allocated adequate security in line with norms and standards”, the GDE said.

The department said it was adamant that no question papers or scripts had been reported as compromised, and that “all papers are handled exclusively by GDE Examination officials, not by any external service providers”.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said it was “unfortunate [and] irresponsible for anyone to opportunistically share information that questions the integrity of the NSC examinations without any basis”.

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A former finance clerk was handed a three-year jail sentence, suspended for five years, for stealing R846 000 from Laerskool Akasia in Pretoria, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said on Monday.

The conviction was handed down on 9 June 2025, finding Lorraine Scheepers guilty of fraud and theft.

Last week, Scheepers was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, with five years’ suspension, and ordered to repay R210 000 to the school by the Pretoria North Magistrate Court.

According to the GDE, Scheepers stole approximately R846 000 in school funds between 2019 and 2021 and manipulated bank statements to conceal the theft.

The department’s Anti-Corruption Unit launched an investigation following an anonymous tip-off, uncovering the fraudulent activities.

“The GDE commends its Anti-Corruption Unit for its diligent work in ensuring accountability and reiterates its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and financial misconduct within schools,” said Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane.

The department urged all school communities to report any suspected irregularities through official GDE channels.

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The Gauteng Department of Education has defended its decision to slash subsidies for Quintile 5 schools from R879 to R315 per learner for the 2026 academic year, insisting the move complies with national funding norms and was necessary due to budget cuts.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said the revised allocations were finalised on 30 September, the statutory deadline for confirming resource allocations, and that schools were notified in accordance with national guidelines.

“Since the 2021 medium-term expenditure framework, departments have faced budget cuts due to fiscal consolidation by the National Treasury. There’s no additional funding received, and there remains a shortfall in the 2026/27 budget even after implementing the new funding model,” Mabona said.

According to the department, the reduction aligns with the adequacy amount applied to Quintile 4 schools, as the department seeks to balance its books in the face of declining real-term allocations from Treasury.

Quintile 5 schools, typically fee-paying and located in better-off areas, have for several years received a discretionary provincial top-up to close the gap between their funding and that of Quintile 4 institutions. That top-up has now been withdrawn.

While Mabona said the decision was necessary to contain financial pressure and ensure compliance with national guidelines, the move has provoked a storm of criticism from opposition parties, teachers’ unions, and school governing bodies (SGBs), who warn it will trigger higher fees, job losses and larger class sizes.

The Solidarity Teachers’ Network has written to the department urging an immediate review of the cuts, warning that the 66% reduction will push the education system to breaking point.

Johan Botha, head of the network, said teachers and support staff would bear the brunt of the cuts.

“Overcrowded classrooms, rising workloads, and increasing emotional strain will make it nearly impossible for teachers to maintain effective instruction. This will erode teaching quality and ultimately harm our children’s education,” Botha said.

In a strongly worded letter, Solidarity accused the department of procedural failures and loss of professional trust, noting that some schools only received their funding letters after 14 October, well beyond the required deadline.

Solidarity has called on Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane to restore funding to at least Quintile 4 levels pending consultation, release transparent data on how the cuts were determined, and ensure timely payments going forward.

The Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS) estimates that at least 750 Gauteng schools will be affected by the cuts. Deputy CEO Jaco Deacon said the reduction represents a loss of about R500 per learner per year, or roughly R600,000 annually for a medium-sized school with 1 200 pupils.

“Schools have already finalised their 2026 budgets based on previous allocations. Many now face the impossible task of finding hundreds of thousands of rand to balance their books,” Deacon said.

Gauteng FEDSAS manager Deon Lerm added that the assumption that all Quintile 5 schools are wealthy is false.

“At some schools, up to 35% of fees cannot be recovered. Combined with this sudden loss of more than 60% of the subsidy, the enormity of the provincial department’s decision becomes clear,” Lerm said.

He warned that schools may have to cut School Governing Body (SGB)-funded teaching posts and scale back on staff development, directly impacting classroom quality.

Equal Education researcher Mahfouz Raffee said while Quintile 5 schools are usually located in better-resourced communities, many still serve learners from low-income households.

“This decision will disproportionately affect poorer pupils attending those schools, as their parents will now face higher fees or deteriorating school services,” Raffee said.

The department said schools may apply for fee increases or compensation in 2026.

“We acknowledge the concerns raised, but the department must align with national norms and manage within available resources,” Mabona said.

The department said it would continue to review spending priorities to manage the shortfall and prevent similar disruptions in the future.

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The Gauteng Education Department has moved to put contingency measures in place for matriculants affected by ongoing water outages and protest disruptions in the communities of Westbury and Coronationville.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that while water tankers and JoJo tanks had been deployed to affected schools, the prolonged lack of supply has stretched the system to breaking point. 

“We have tanks, JoJo tanks, in our schools. When we have water, we then fill up those tanks. But if, on a continuous basis, there’s no water, we will then be depleted,” he said. 

The outages, which have sparked days of unrest, left teaching schedules in disarray and raised concerns about the impact on learners preparing for crucial final examinations.

Mabona said the department’s immediate focus was on protecting the academic progress of Grade 12 learners. 

“The only challenge in Coronationville is that we have those that are coming from outside those areas. Now the arrangement is that especially the Grade 12s, they are writing at the neighbouring schools. We’ve made those arrangements for them to continue to write,” he said.

Protests erupted earlier this week, with residents demanding urgent intervention to restore water services.

Several community members sustained rubber bullet injuries on Wednesday when demonstrations turned violent.

The unrest has prevented some learners from outside the affected communities from reaching their schools, further disrupting teaching and learning. 

“In that entire area, our schooling is not normal. The lower grades cannot access schools unless they live within walking distance. Grade 12s have been our main concern, and we’ve ensured their preparatory examinations continue without major interruptions,” Mabona stressed. 

Similar arrangements have been implemented in Ebony Park, where many learners are walking to schools. Principals are collecting examination papers from distribution points to ensure assessments go ahead. 

The water outages in Westbury and Coronationville have also cast a spotlight on broader service delivery and infrastructure issues affecting schools across the province. 

In The Vaal, learners at the newly opened Tsepong Secondary School have reportedly been attending classes for only three hours daily due to water and sanitation challenges.

Mabona acknowledged the difficulties but assured the public that the matter had been resolved. 

“Yes, indeed, we are aware. The challenge was with the municipality, because we made a payment in January already. But there were problems of locating the transaction. There’s now confirmation that the municipality has received the money, and workers are on site connecting the school to park services for water and electricity,” he said.

 Asked whether such problems pointed to systemic weaknesses in municipal payments and service connections, Mabona said schools generally receive allocations to pay for services directly. 

“In this instance, because it was a new establishment, the department had to apply for the connection. But in all other schools, we provide them with their allocation to pay municipal services. Where challenges arise, we engage municipalities directly and make interim arrangements,” he said.

While the department is working to mitigate the immediate impact of the outages on matriculants, concerns remain about the long-term disruption to teaching. 

Civil society groups have warned that if the crisis persists, it could compromise curriculum coverage, particularly for younger grades who are not part of examination contingency plans.

The department has urged calm and appealed for constructive dialogue between residents, municipalities, and education authorities.

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