Is online schooling a cost-effective alternative?

IT’S almost time for the typical mid-year public school holidays, with the resultant need to replace some articles of clothing, buy new textbooks, or otherwise spend money on a child's, or children's, education.

- NICOLA MAWSON

Online schooling is likely to be more cost-effective as there is no need to purchase uniforms, textbooks are often online, and stationery doesn’t need to be a certain colour. Other cost pushers that can be eliminated include transport, either via public transport or in fuel for mom and dad — tuck-shop money, and school infrastructure levies.

In the most recent Statistics South Africa inflation release, for March — the month that it measures the cost of education — the agency noted that the price index for education increased by 4.5%. Although this was a slower rate of increase than the 6.4% rise in 2024, it was higher than the 2.7% overall inflation figure in March this year.

School fees increased 5% (against a 6.6% rise in 2024) and tertiary education institutions charged 3.7% more in 2025, compared with the 5.9% hike the year before.

Enter online schools. Louise Schoonwinkel, Managing Director at Impaq, told Personal Finance that “unlike traditional schooling, where costs are often fixed and out of your control, homeschooling offers flexibility — both in approach and budget”.

However, as Lauren Anderson, CEO of Koa Academy, said, there can be financial drawbacks to online schooling.

There are, for example, fewer traditional extracurriculars, which could add to the overall schooling bill. “While online schools offer virtual clubs and opportunities, students may have to look outside of school for traditional sports and group activities,” Anderson explained.