2.9 million pupils enrolled in KZN schools for 2026, says Hlomuka

KwaZulu-Natal has enrolled more than 2.9 million pupils for the 2026 academic year, becoming the first province to reach its enrolment targets, education MEC Sipho Hlomuka announced on Thursday.

Delivering a media statement at Addington Primary School in Durban, Hlomuka said the milestone reflected coordinated efforts across the province to ensure that every eligible child was placed in a classroom at the start of the school year.

Smooth enrolment across all districts

Hlomuka said a total of 2 918 003 pupils had been enrolled for the 2026 academic year across KwaZulu-Natal’s 12 districts.

“We have been visiting schools across districts and so far, we are satisfied that the enrolment process was smooth and successful across all 12 districts of the province,” he said.

He said KwaZulu-Natal was “proud to be the first province to reach its enrolment targets”, adding that the achievement ensured access to education for every eligible child.

“While reaching this target is significant, our work continues to ensure that enrolment translates into learning, performance, and success in every classroom,” Hlomuka said.

The MEC thanked teachers, school management teams, parents and communities for ensuring that pupils were in classrooms on the first day of school, despite ongoing fiscal pressures.

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Building on historic matric performance

Hlomuka also reflected on the province’s 2025 matric results, which saw KwaZulu-Natal ranked the top-performing province for the first time.

“We congratulate the matric class of 2025 for taking the baton from their predecessors and ensuring that KwaZulu-Natal achieves a historic milestone by becoming the number-one performing province,” he said.

However, he cautioned that maintaining the top position would require sustained effort.

“The challenge is not only to reach the top, but to remain at the top,” Hlomuka said, urging the class of 2026 to “build on this legacy and raise the bar even higher”.

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Textbook deliveries and academic plans

Providing an update on learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), Hlomuka said the procurement and distribution process was progressing in phases across all districts.

“Priority has been given to ensuring that Grade R, Foundation Phase and Grade 12 pupils receive their required materials early, in line with curriculum demands,” he said.

He added that the department had begun analysing the 2025 matric results to inform a comprehensive 2026 Academic Improvement Plan, focusing on subjects such as mathematics, physical sciences, technical subjects and South African Sign Language.

Budget pressures and staffing challenges

Hlomuka acknowledged that the department continued to face significant budgetary constraints, with a total allocation of R62.989 billion for the current financial year.

Of this, R51.398 billion (89%) is spent on compensation for teachers and administrative staff, while R2.246 billion (4%) is transferred directly to schools.

“The escalating cost of compensation of employees is limiting our ability to add new educators to the system,” he said.

He further noted knock-on effects such as delayed payments to service providers and delays in textbook and stationery deliveries.

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School safety and Addington Primary protests

Hlomuka expressed concern about rising crime in and around schools, as well as disruptive protests at Addington Primary School that have affected teaching and learning.

“We will not allow schools to be misused as sites of social conflict. Schools exist for one purpose: teaching and learning,” he said.

He rejected claims that foreign pupils or educators were responsible for overcrowding or poor performance, describing such allegations as “misleading and dangerous”.

According to the department, Addington Primary has a total enrolment of 1 548 pupils, including 968 South African pupils and 580 foreign nationals.

Of the 17 undocumented pupils, 12 are South Africans and five are foreign nationals.

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Way forward

Hlomuka said the department had resolved to take “extraordinary measures” to resolve placement challenges affecting between 15 and 21 pupils linked to recent protests.

He said 11 Grade R children would be accommodated at a local early childhood development centre at reduced rates, while solutions for other grades would be announced later.

“We empathise with the parents, but we do not condone or encourage the method of protest that has left teachers and pupils in trauma,” he said.

Hlomuka called on parents and communities to rely on official communication and to support provincial efforts to create safe, stable and high-performing schools across KwaZulu-Natal.

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