South African Schools Face Funding Delays and Shortfalls

Public schools in South Africa are set to face significant financial pressure when pupils return on January 13, as provincial funding delays and shortfalls threaten their ability to pay essential bills and purchase classroom supplies. The Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (Fedsas) and the South African Principals Association (Sapa) have called on the national education department to intervene, warning that schools cannot continue covering gaps left by late and partial funding.

Fedsas has urged Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to enforce accountability and ensure that officials responsible for repeated delays in school funding face consequences. According to Fedsas Chief Executive Jaco Deacon, the call for intervention follows late or partial provincial payments in May, with at least two provinces indicating they will miss the November 15 deadline for the second instalment of norms and standards funding.

Schools rely on these funds for core operational costs, including textbooks, stationery, water, electricity, and repairs. Deacon stated that the North West education department informed schools that funds would only be transferred on November 16 and that, again, as in May, they would receive only 50% of their allocation, the remainder withheld for centralised procurement of learning and teaching support materials (LTSM).

Gauteng only completed its May payments in October, nearly five months after the deadline, and schools will feel the pinch again. Deacon noted that delaying money until February or March does not help a school that needs resources in January. He added that no-fee schools and those without substantial reserves had little capacity to bridge funding gaps through fees or fundraising, affecting more than 2,000 schools.

The Gauteng education department proposed staggered payments between November and March next year, depending on funding availability. Fedsas is awaiting confirmation of payment by November 15 in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape and monitoring whether Limpopo, the Free State, and Western Cape will meet the deadline. In terms of national norms and standards for school funding, provinces must transfer allocations by May 15 and November 15 or make a single payment by May 15.

Earlier this year, Fedsas estimated that provinces were expected to transfer more than R21bn to schools in 2026. However, Deacon noted that many schools received only half their allocations after departments withheld the balance under promises to supply stationery centrally — promises that were either delayed or unfulfilled, with materials often described as poor quality.

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) opposed the withholding of textbook and stationery funds, saying schools still owed suppliers for goods already delivered. Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi stated that they call for the immediate restoration of funds, considering that schools have long budgeted for these line items in their indicative budgets.

Key points

• Schools rely on provincial funding for core operational costs, including textbooks, stationery, water, electricity, and repairs.
• Provincial funding delays and shortfalls affect more than 2,000 schools, particularly no-fee schools and those without substantial reserves.
• Fedsas and Sapa have called on the national education department to intervene and enforce accountability for repeated delays in school funding.