Rising school costs in SA deepen financial strain on families

There is a noticeable shift in how families attempt to stay financially afloat, as incomes that once sustained households are no longer enough to meet growing demands.

Parents are increasingly forced into a cycle of sacrifice, playing a form of financial musical chairs to survive and prioritise needs.

The latest findings from Statistics SA (StatSA) paint a sobering picture of this reality, revealing households stretched beyond comfort and certainty, where stability has become temporary and careful budgeting is replaced by constant negotiation between necessities.

StatsSA’s Education report reveals that nearly seven in 10 children attending school in SA do not pay tuition fees.

According to the report, 65.7% of people five years and older, who were at educational institutions in 2024, did not pay for tuition.

While we could go on and on about the runaway costs of living in the country, a serious conversation needs to be had about the seemingly rising costs of a basic right, education.

Granted, the government has put in some effort to subsidise education, with no fee-paying schools, but not every child can attend these schools and not every family or household will qualify for a fee exemption.

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While for many parents the public schooling system is not an option, based on the questionable pass mark requirements, the access to extra murals and teaching infrastructure – and private schooling – is also financially out of reach for most.

With the costs of private schooling becoming unaffordable for most, parents seek refuge in public schooling.

But that has also become unaffordable because the cost of living has become high. Education remains a fundamental right that should never be compromised by a family’s financial circumstances.

While parents undeniably carry the responsibility to contribute toward school fees where possible, the exemption has become a vital lifeline for battling households.

The figures reveal families determined to invest in their children’s futures, while still struggling to meet every day needs.

This reality is not parental failure, but rather an indictment of an increasingly unaffordable society, where school fees become the only flexible expense.

Parents compromise, trusting constitutional protections that guarantee every child’s right to access public education without exclusion or diminished opportunity today.

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