CAPE TOWN, Western Cape – A parliamentary committee has launched an urgent inquiry after the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) conceded it cannot confirm whether all learners in the province have been placed in schools, despite the academic year being more than half complete.
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education heard testimony today from civic group Equal Education, which alleged that learner exclusion remains a persistent problem in the Western Cape, disproportionately affecting Black and Coloured children from low-income and marginalized areas.
Parents from Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Strand, and Kraaifontein participated in the virtual session, recounting how repeated attempts to engage the provincial department about their children’s school placements had yielded little to no response.
Nontsikelelo Dlulane of Equal Education addressed the committee: “These are a group of parents from Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Strand, Kraaifontein and majority of these parents here are still having learners this year that are still unclear. So they here coming to listen to the Western Cape Education Department with no hope right and especially with the attitude that we’re receiving from the Western Cape department.”
Committee Chairperson Joy Maimela voiced strong concern over the situation. “We must now leave the politics of it. We must think about ourselves as parents. How do we feel? How would you feel if your child was not in school and it’s June?” she asked, emphasizing that there is no acceptable justification for children remaining out of the classroom at this stage of the school year.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier responded by acknowledging the intense pressure on school admissions infrastructure. He highlighted ongoing efforts to expand capacity, stating: “We are moving heaven and earth to raise more money—R2.5 billion—to build more schools, build more classrooms so that we better serve particularly learners from poor communities in the rapid school build program.” Maynier requested that Equal Education submit specific details regarding unplaced learners to facilitate individual case reviews and targeted support.
Maimela, however, indicated the response did not address the core concern. “I did not think in my wildest mind that there are learners that are not in school. I really did not,” she said. “You are saying you don’t know. Equal Education and the parents are saying their children are not in school because they’ve been engaging with you, and you are saying you don’t know. I want to get that part at this time because it will be a matter that really stresses you. It is a matter that should be number one priority on your desk.”
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, who also participated in the proceedings, described the continued exclusion of learners at this point in the academic calendar as “an indictment on everyone” and reaffirmed that discrimination has no place within South Africa’s education system.
The WCED has undertaken to submit a written report to the committee within seven days, providing precise data on the number and status of learners who remain without school placements.