A damning national assessment of school readiness has exposed a severe infrastructure crisis and deep-seated inequalities within South Africa’s public education system, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has announced.
The findings follow visits to over 150 schools ahead of the new academic year, with Commissioner Professor Tshepo Madlingozi detailing the commission’s concerns. He identified the most pressing issues as dilapidated and hazardous school buildings, particularly in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal.
According to Madlingozi, the problems are “pervasive” and “systemic,” posing direct risks to the health and lives of learners. Investigators found schools reliant on dangerous pit latrines, classrooms with crumbling walls and broken windows, and the continued use of asbestos in roofing structures.
“The conditions are such that they pose a health hazard to learners,” Madlingozi stated. “This does not only impinge on the right to education, it also poses risk to health and life.”
The report also highlighted a severe overcrowding problem, with Madlingozi citing instances of “80 kids in a very small classroom.” This issue, coupled with staff shortages, was found to exceed the national teacher-learner ratio in at least five provinces, creating an environment not conducive to learning.
The commission also addressed the challenge of accommodating undocumented learners. While praising provinces like the Eastern Cape and Limpopo for their efforts to comply with the law and register all children, Madlingozi noted a critical lack of state funding and administrative support.
“Schools complain to us to say we want to comply with the law… but we are not getting support from a budget perspective,” he explained, stating that this places a significant strain on existing resources.
In its assessment, the SAHRC categorized provincial performance. The Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal were listed among the “best performing,” while the Eastern Cape, Northwest, and Limpopo were flagged as “most concerning.” The Free State, Northern Cape, and Mpumalanga were noted for “moderate readiness” but struggled with recurring sanitation, security, and resource shortages.
Madlingozi attributed the disparities to three key factors: leadership and political will, proper and efficient budgeting, and intergovernmental cooperation. He pointed to corruption, maladministration, and unspent budgets being returned to the national treasury as major impediments in underperforming provinces.
Despite the grim findings, the commissioner expressed cautious optimism. He reported a “spirit of cooperation and humility” from several provincial education departments who acknowledged the report’s factual basis. He also highlighted a “big improvement” in school nutrition, with 85% of monitored schools providing meals.
The commissioner concluded that “South Africa’s education system remains deeply unequal,” but confirmed that the commission will be meeting with the Minister of Basic Education and the relevant parliamentary portfolio committee in the coming weeks to push for urgent interventions.
