Reforming South Africa's Education System

FOR many South Africans, education is a privilege and praised once completed. However, for many other South Africans, quality education is a far distant dream for a multitude of reasons.

- BANTHATI SEKWALA and DR IQBAL SURVÉ

To begin with, South Africa is severely unequal and really, that can be considered the root or foundation for all the other reasons behind the inaccessibility of quality education. By virtue of quality education being distributed disproportionately and the vast majority of South Africans falling under the bracket of 'low quality schooling', a similar majority of students will be disadvantaged when trying to enter the workforce; because if former students are not well educated, how will they fulfil complex or meet the entry expectations and requirements of their future jobs? The education system for any country is massively critical for the development of the country and the continuity of the country's skills and knowledge. It has been said that the South African education system is characterised by 'crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms and poor educational outcomes'.

Infrastructure Failures That Persist

Poor education, poverty, and societal problems are a recurring cycle. Public schools suffer from horrific infrastructure, leading to tragic incidents like children dying in pit latrines. This reflects apartheid's legacy of under-maintained infrastructure, hindering conducive learning environments. Apartheid's racial segregation dictated school access and quality. Wealthier students have an advantage with tutors and adapted better to online learning during COVID-19 lockdowns.

As of 31 March 2025, 93% of pit latrines have been eradicated under the SAFE initiative. However, 141 schools, especially in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, still use these dangerous facilities. A 2 June 2025 report attributes delays to funding and logistical shortfalls, urging stronger corporate-sector involvement and deployment of the Khusela sanitation unit in public-private partnership schools.