New figures indicate that 85% of South African schools are classified as dysfunctional and just 63% of students complete matric, with education experts and officials pointing to overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, and the enduring legacy of apartheid as key factors undermining the effectiveness of the national school system. This ongoing crisis has far-reaching implications for the country’s socio-economic development and efforts to advance equity.

Infrastructure And Overcrowding Continue To Undermine Schools

Reports from the Development Bank of Southern Africa confirm that many schools lack basic amenities, including sufficient classrooms, libraries, and study spaces, especially in previously disadvantaged urban areas. According to the bank, “Many students in previously disadvantaged urban areas attend schools without quality libraries and study areas, dilapidated classrooms, and overcrowding.”

Gauteng, South Africa’s most populous province, illustrates the strain. Speaking to the media on 12 April 2026, Gauteng MEC for Education, Lebogang Maile, acknowledged that “overcrowding in many township and inner-city schools reaches between 60 and 70 learners per teacher,” a situation exacerbated by migration-driven enrolment pressure and limited infrastructure improvements.

Historic Inequality And Socio-Economic Fallout

The roots of this crisis run deep, with CAJ News Africa highlighting in July 2025 that the education system remains shaped by apartheid-era segregation and resource disparities. While post-1994 policies aimed to redress historical imbalances, resource gaps persist between schools in historically privileged and disadvantaged communities.

High dropout rates—nearly four in ten students leaving before matric—underscore the cumulative impact of these challenges. Persistent infrastructure backlogs, resource shortages, and overcrowded schools limit teaching quality and learner performance, further entrenching cycles of poverty and inequality, particularly in rural and township areas.

Analysts note that systemic reform and significant investment are required at national and provincial government levels to address dysfunction, combat inequality, and improve outcomes for learners. The coming months are expected to see further debate over funding priorities and urgent measures to address the education system’s failures.