Solidarity report shows Gauteng schools face financial disaster after drastic cuts

A new report released by the Solidarity Research Institute (SRI) has revealed deeply worrying findings about the state of Gauteng schools’ funding and staffing for 2026.

The report shows that the allocation per learner for quintile 5 schools has dropped from around R900 to R315 – a decrease of 65% that is estimated to affect more than 750 schools.

According to the report, notice of this cut in subsidy was only issued by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) after the budget deadline of 30 September 2025, which seriously disrupted planning and budgeting processes at schools.

Johnell Prinsloo, education researcher at the SRI, says the report was based on data from a survey by the Solidarity Support Centre for Schools (SCS), which indicates an education system in need.

“Schools indicate that only emergency maintenance work can be done, and major repairs or improvements are being postponed. Infrastructure is beginning to deteriorate, with comments referring to buildings, sewage systems and roads that can no longer be repaired. The general impression is that the reduction in allocations seriously compromises both physical maintenance and staff sustainability,” says Prinsloo.

The report shows that 67% of schools have received a weaker allocation for 2026, and approximately 80% are struggling to pay for basic services such as water and electricity. Several schools report that their funds are only enough to cover their expenses for a few more months.

According to Prinsloo, many schools have lost between one and eight jobs, resulting in larger classes and pressure on timetables.

“In some cases, the learner-teacher ratios have risen above 1:40. This places a tremendous burden on teachers and has a clear negative impact on the quality of learning,” she warns.

There is also widespread confusion and frustration about the late and inadequate communication from the GDE.

“The pattern of late notifications, inadequate refunds and administrative irregularity has led to widespread distrust in the allocation system,” says Prinsloo.

According to her, the feedback points to a financial system that is not keeping up with growing costs and learner numbers, and one where the burden is increasingly shifted to parent communities. In the report, schools describe the current situation as unsustainable and warn that without immediate intervention, the quality of education in Gauteng is seriously at risk.

According to Prinsloo, the report’s findings indicate an urgent need to rethink funding, communication, and collaboration between schools and authorities.

“Based on the data, we propose several recommendations to address the financial and administrative challenges in public education,” she says.

These recommendations include, among others, the urgent resumption of consultation processes with school governing bodies to review the 65% cut in subsidies and the timely communication of allocations and job provisions to schools.

In addition, the Department of Basic Education should review the current national norms and standards for school funding, as the existing quintile classification often does not reflect actual socio-economic circumstances.

Prinsloo further emphasises: “An accelerated and transparent disbursement scheme for waivers is essential to stabilise schools’ cash flow and plan budgets more reliably.”

See the interview with Prinsloo about the report here.