Gauteng to allocate R1.13bn for subsidies to independent schools — TimesLIVE
The Gauteng Department of Education in South Africa will allocate R1.13 billion for the 2026/27 financial year to subsidise independent schools that meet the established criteria. This was stated by Gauteng's member of the executive council for education, Lebogang Maile, during a briefing, TimesLIVE reports.
Of this amount, about R621 million is intended for primary education, while another R508 million is allocated for secondary education. The education department expects that approximately the same levels of funding will be provided during the following two financial years.
Not all schools receive subsidies
There are 1,083 independent schools operating in Gauteng, with 379,727 learners and 24,974 teachers. State operational subsidies are received by 279 institutions, while 804 schools do not receive such funding.
Maile stressed that subsidisation does not mean that schools become government-owned or fall under government control. The department referred to constitutional provisions and the South African Schools Act, which allow state support for independent institutions that meet the requirements.
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The funding model takes into account tuition fee levels and the communities served by the schools. Institutions with lower tuition costs may qualify for greater support than schools with significantly higher parental fees. In the 2022/23–2025/26 financial years, the department directed approximately R4.3 billion in transfers and subsidies to such schools.
Control of funds and learning outcomes
Subsidised schools must report on the use of public money. Authorities monitor their financial planning, budgets, annual financial statements, banking and cash operations, payrolls, and asset records. During the first school term of 2026, 80 subsidised schools were inspected; by its end, 274 of the 279 institutions had submitted annual financial statements.
According to the department, 77 of the 80 inspected schools showed results above the provincial average for public schools. Independent schools had a 94.82% pass rate in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations: 11,651 out of 12,291 learners passed the exams. At the same time, Maile cautioned against concluding that independent institutions are automatically better solely because of private management or tuition fees. Gauteng public schools had an 89.06% pass rate in these examinations.
The department also reported inspections of institutions that, according to its information, were operating illegally. From January to September 2026, officials visited 61 such schools and issued 32 closure letters. According to the department, seven institutions ceased operations, four applied for registration, and two school principals were arrested.
