Key Takeaways
- The Gauteng education department (GDE) is facing a school placement crisis, with 10,285 pupils remaining unplaced for the 2026 school year.
- The GDE spokesperson, Steve Mabona, claims that the department is not responsible for building new schools, and that the blame for the shortage of space cannot be placed solely on them.
- The department has introduced temporary solutions, such as satellite schools, but these have faced resistance from parents who prefer permanent structures.
- The GDE faces bureaucratic and logistical hurdles when attempting to expand existing facilities, including challenges with contractors and municipalities.
Introduction to the Crisis
The Gauteng education department (GDE) is currently grappling with a significant school placement crisis, leaving thousands of families in a state of uncertainty. The crisis is most severe in "high-pressure areas" such as Kempton Park, Thembisa, Alberton, Ivory Park, and Centurion. According to the GDE spokesperson, Steve Mabona, the department is facing intense public pressure to meet the rising demand for education, but he insists that their role is to facilitate placement, not to manage construction projects. This has led to a significant backlog, with 10,285 pupils remaining unplaced for the 2026 school year, including 2,848 grade 1 pupils and 7,447 grade 8 pupils.
The Department’s Response
Mabona has pushed back against criticisms regarding the province’s school placement crisis, saying that it is not the department’s responsibility to build new schools. He described the placement issue as "multi-layered" and emphasized that the department of infrastructure is their implementing agent responsible for construction. Despite this, the GDE has assured that all pupils will be accommodated before the start of the new academic year. Mabona stated that the department’s employees have been working to ensure that most pupils are placed, especially in the high-pressure areas. The department has also introduced temporary solutions, such as satellite schools, which are constructed using prefabricated materials rather than traditional brick and mortar.
Challenges and Resistance
However, the introduction of satellite schools has faced resistance from parents, who often cite a preference for permanent structures. Mabona noted that many parents are reluctant to enroll their children in these "container schools," which has added to the challenges faced by the department. Furthermore, the GDE faces bureaucratic and logistical hurdles when attempting to expand existing facilities. Mabona highlighted two primary obstacles: contractors’ challenges, often due to contractors failing to deliver projects on time, and municipalities often refusing to approve the GDE’s requests for additional classrooms at existing schools. He explained that when the department approaches municipalities to build more classrooms, they are often met with a stalemate, with municipalities arguing that a school was originally designed for a specific capacity and providing various reasons to withhold approval.
Way Forward
Despite the challenges, the GDE is working to find solutions to the school placement crisis. The department has advised parents and guardians who have not yet secured a spot for their children that the window for late applications for grade 1 and grade 8 opens on Wednesday. Mabona emphasized that the department is committed to ensuring that all pupils are accommodated before the start of the new academic year. However, the department’s ability to meet this commitment remains to be seen, and the crisis is likely to continue to be a major challenge for the GDE in the coming months. As the department works to find solutions, it is clear that the school placement crisis in Gauteng is a complex and multi-layered issue, requiring a comprehensive and coordinated approach to resolve.
Conclusion and Future Prospects
In conclusion, the school placement crisis in Gauteng is a significant challenge that requires immediate attention and action. The GDE’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, has emphasized that the department is not responsible for building new schools, but rather for facilitating placement. However, the department’s ability to meet the rising demand for education is hindered by bureaucratic and logistical hurdles, including challenges with contractors and municipalities. As the department works to find solutions, it is essential that they prioritize the needs of pupils and families, and work towards finding long-term solutions to the crisis. The introduction of temporary solutions, such as satellite schools, is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to address the root causes of the crisis and ensure that all pupils have access to quality education. Ultimately, the resolution of the school placement crisis in Gauteng will require a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including the department, municipalities, and the community.
