Education department tackles issue of overcrowding at schools

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has responded to increasing public concerns regarding overcrowding in provincial schools.

Despite a robust placement process, many schools have been overwhelmed by applications far exceeding their capacity, placing immense pressure on resources and infrastructure.

According to GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona, Laerskool Akasia is one of the primary schools in the province that have been affected.

Mabona said for the 2025 academic year, the school could only accommodate 240 learners in Grade 1, yet received a staggering 1 475 applications.

This nearly sixfold demand highlights a province-wide trend of excessive pressure on schools, with Laerskool Akasia standing out as one of the most overcrowded.

GDE revealed that a total of 292 primary schools and 277 secondary schools across the province were categorised as high-pressure schools.

“An example for secondary schools would be Hoërskool Langenhoven, which had the capacity to place only 300 Grade 8 learners, but received 3 081 applications.”

These schools, situated in fast-growing urban areas, have been inundated with applications far exceeding the number of available spaces for learners.

Mabona said the department has implemented several interventions to mitigate the overcrowding at high-pressure schools such as Laerskool Akasia.

“These efforts include the provision of mobile classroom units, the construction of satellite schools, and the allocation of funds for schools to implement self-build classroom projects.

“These interventions are designed to provide immediate relief and help schools expand their capacity based on current needs,” he said.

Mabona emphasised that the department had foreseen these challenges and communicated plans to alleviate pressure on overcrowded schools well in advance.

“We are on a course to alleviate pressure from all identified schools. Schools are proceeding with the self-build classroom project, and new schools will also be introduced across the province accordingly,” said Mabona.

While the department has made strides to address the classroom shortages, including at Laerskool Akasia, it has acknowledged that not all learners can be placed in their first-choice schools due to space limitations.

“As a result, applicants who could not be accommodated in oversubscribed schools were placed in the next closest schools with available space.

“Throughout this challenge, the department remained committed to ensuring that every learner was placed in a school, even if it was not their first choice, while continuously working to improve infrastructure and expand access to quality education,” said Mabona.

Mabona said the department has to correct the assertion that it stated it would build over 4 000 satellite schools.

“We announced that the satellite schools we introduced in 2025 will provide over 4 417 additional spaces for placement in high-pressure areas.

“It is important to mention that some of these satellite schools have started to operate, while we complete building the remainder. In the interim, some schools are over-capacitated while waiting for completion of said schools.”

He said since the start of the placement period on September 19, 2024, the department has consistently updated the public on placement challenges and interventions to mitigate capacity at schools through regular media statements and briefings.

Therefore, newly discovered overcrowding claims are misleading, as the department has announced these issues beforehand, along with plans to alleviate pressure on affected schools.

“We remain committed to transparency and ensuring every learner is placed in a suitable learning environment. We are on course to alleviate pressure from all identified schools.

Schools are proceeding with the self-build classroom project and new schools will also be introduced across the province accordingly,” said Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane.

The department has urged parents and guardians to remain patient and supportive of the measures being implemented to address these capacity constraints.

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