South Africa reports 405,000 children not enrolled in school for 2024

A new report from the South African Department of Basic Education’s General Household Survey 2024 reveals that 405,000 children in South Africa were not enrolled in school in 2024. This lack of enrollment poses significant risks to the future employment prospects and opportunities of these young people.

Factors contributing to children falling outside the schooling system include financial pressures, family circumstances, relocation, health challenges, learning difficulties, and general disengagement from education. Additionally, some families struggle to secure suitable school placements near their homes.

The scale of demand is further evidenced by the Gauteng province admissions process. When the online platform opened on August 5, over 200,000 applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 were submitted by midday, with the total approaching half a million within days. While high application numbers do not always equate to a lack of available places, they highlight the immense pressure on provincial education systems.