South Africa’s public school system accommodated more than a quarter of a million foreign learners and just over 3,000 foreign educators during 2025, according to figures released by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube. The disclosure comes amid growing public debate about access to school placements and pressure on already strained state education resources.
In a written response to a parliamentary question from Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP Liezl van der Merwe, Gwarube confirmed that 253,618 foreign pupils and 3,240 foreign teachers were enrolled in public schools across the country. The data has intensified discussions around school capacity, particularly as many South African parents struggle to secure placements for their children ahead of the 2026 academic year.
Advocacy groups such as Operation Dudula and the March and March Movement have claimed that foreign learners are being prioritised over South African children in school admissions. These allegations have gained traction during the annual registration period, when overcrowding and limited infrastructure often leave thousands of families without confirmed school placements.
However, the department’s figures show that enrolments vary widely by province. Gauteng recorded the highest number of foreign pupils, with 128,054 learners, followed by the Western Cape with 59,138. Other provinces reported lower but still significant numbers. Limpopo had 16,566 foreign pupils and 151 foreign educators, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded 14,929 foreign learners and 706 foreign teachers. The North West accounted for 10,928 foreign pupils and 192 educators, Mpumalanga had 8,716 pupils and 728 educators, and the Eastern Cape enrolled 8,394 foreign learners alongside 289 foreign teachers. The Free State and Northern Cape recorded the lowest numbers, with 5,157 and 1,744 foreign pupils respectively.
The statistics were sourced from the Provincial Education Management Information System (EMIS) and verified by provincial education departments, ensuring consistency and accuracy across regions.
Addressing concerns around school access, Gwarube stressed that South Africa’s constitution guarantees the right to basic education for every child living in the country, regardless of nationality. She cited section 29(1)(a) of the constitution, which affirms this right, and section 28, which places the best interests of the child at the centre of all decisions affecting them.
“These rights are inseparable from the constitutional values of dignity and equality, which apply to everyone in South Africa,” the minister said. She added that South African courts have repeatedly upheld the principle that access to education cannot be denied on the basis of citizenship, immigration status, or lack of official documentation.
Gwarube also emphasised that public schools are legally obliged to admit learners in line with constitutional and statutory requirements. While provincial education departments manage day-to-day enrolments and educator appointments, the national Department of Basic Education provides policy direction, oversight, and support.
The minister concluded by noting that government remains committed to managing access to education in a lawful, fair, and sustainable manner, while balancing the needs of all learners within the constraints of available infrastructure and resources.
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