NOMBEKO MBAVA | Betrayal of the poor: provincial governments are systematically shortchanging SA’s neediest children

The right to basic education is immediate and non-negotiable. Yet the recent analysis by the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) reveals a profound and shocking betrayal of this constitutional commitment by several provincial education departments.

The data shows that rather than adhering to the redistributive intent of our funding model, key provinces are systematically and consistently short-changing the children who need resources the most: those attending quintile 1-3 schools.

This funding ensures pupils have stationery, textbooks, library books, computer hardware and software, science laboratory equipment, instruments, desks and chairs and other learner support materials.

The National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF) establish a minimum national threshold designed to ensure that basic resources reach every public school, particularly the neediest, where pupils do not pay fees.

For the 2025 fiscal year, the prescribed amount for each pupil at quintile 1-3 schools is R1,754.

Our findings reveal a disturbing failure to meet this minimum standard, effectively perpetuating a two-tier education system, one underfunded and under-resourced and the other affluent, further entrenching inequality and poverty.

Key provinces

The case of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) education department is perhaps the most astonishing revelation in our analysis. For the past five consecutive years, from 2021 through 2025, the province has allocated a fixed, insufficient amount to its neediest pupils.

While the national norm prescribes funding each child in quintile 1-3 schools with R1,754 in 2025, KZN provided a mere R955 per pupil. This means KZN is delivering only 54% of the constitutionally mandated minimum funding necessary for these pupils to access essential resources like textbooks, laboratory equipment, computer hardware, cleaning supplies and library books. This persistent underfunding is occurring despite KZN having a lower pupil-to-school intake compared with wealthier provinces like Gauteng and the Western Cape, highlighting chronic management and budget prioritisation failures.

KZN is not alone. The Mpumalanga education department is another key culprit in short-changing its needy pupils. In 2025, the department is allocating R1,450 per pupil for quintile 1-3 schools, falling significantly below the R1,754 national minimum threshold.

Most concerning, however, is the Northern Cape education department. Our data shows that the Northern Cape is failing to meet the minimum national threshold for funding across all five quintiles in 2025.

• For quintile 1-3 (the neediest schools), the Northern Cape allocated R1,672, missing the required R1,754 threshold
• For quintile 4, the Northern Cape allocated R732, below the national threshold of R879
• For quintile 5, the most affluent schools, which receive the lowest allocation, the Northern Cape allocated R271, below the national threshold of R301

That these provincial departments fail to meet the minimum funding floor for their neediest pupils, despite receiving the money from national government, raises serious concerns regarding the budgeting priorities of the provinces, the value given to decent educational outcomes and simple compliance with national policy.

Imagine two pupils reading about the laws of physics. In a quintile 1, 2 or 3 school — the neediest, non-fee-paying schools — this lesson is likely to be confined to theory. The child sits in an ordinary classroom, trying to picture an atom simply by reading words in a textbook.

These figures are not abstract data points; they represent how pupils in these provinces experience learning. This is shown through critical gaps in the learner experience, leading to poor educational outcomes. Underfunding undermines the purpose of the quintile system, which is designed to reduce resource disparities.

Underfunding also worsens existing crises. KZN, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo already appear to be lagging significantly in providing critical school infrastructure, including sanitation, libraries and laboratories. For instance, the Northern Cape has already seen a concerning decline in access to computer centres, falling from 53% in 2021 to about 20% in 2024, raising fears about infrastructure deterioration.

It is gravely concerning that provinces such as KZN, the Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga have consistently funded pupils below the minimum national threshold amounts. We recognise that challenges exist, such as large amounts spent on personnel costs, which reduced the amount available to fund the science laboratories, computer labs, textbooks, library books, which are all critical learner support materials.

Science classroom shows system’s disparities

Perhaps the shocking disparities in South Africa’s education system are best seen — or rather, not seen — in the science classroom. We cannot expect our children to compete in a high-tech world when half the country cannot even conduct a basic experiment.

Imagine two pupils reading about the laws of physics. In a quintile 1, 2 or 3 school — the neediest, non-fee-paying schools — this lesson is likely to be confined to theory. The child sits in an ordinary classroom, trying to picture an atom simply by reading words in a textbook. Why? Because a significant number of schools, 82.4% do not have laboratories.

In provinces like the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, where backlogs are severe, the lack of these facilities is a major challenge. For this learner, science and mathematics (MST) concepts remain abstract and hard to grasp because the funding intended for learner support materials, such as science laboratory equipment, is missing. They are forced to rely purely on description and their imagination, which makes comprehensive understanding difficult.

The persistent failure to meet these basic minimums is a direct failure of governance and accountability that denies millions of South African children their immediate constitutional right to a quality education

Now picture a child attending a well-resourced school, typically quintile 5, which benefits from better infrastructure and far superior learner support systems. When this pupil learns about the same topic, they walk into a fully stocked laboratory. Here they mix chemicals, power a small circuit or look through a microscope. They are able to access the exact MST kits and laboratory equipment that the national MST conditional grant is designed to provide.

This practical application instantly transforms a difficult concept into a memorable experience for the pupil. The concepts stick, learning is enhanced, and the pupil is properly equipped for university entrance and the labour market.

This difference — between reading about science and actually doing science — is the defining feature of the two-tier education structure that continues to perpetuate poverty and inequality in South Africa. It demonstrates why investment in essential infrastructure, like laboratories, is absolutely critical for improving learner outcomes.

Recommendations

The FFC reiterates its recommendation that provincial budgets must be immediately adjusted to bring per-pupil funding in line with the national threshold amounts, especially for pupils in quintile 1 to 3 schools. The commission calls for accountable action.

Parliament must hold accountable failing provincial education departments. The persistent failure to meet these basic minimums is a direct failure of governance and accountability that denies millions of South African children their immediate constitutional right to a quality education. We must ensure that every rand allocated to basic education is used effectively, efficiently and equitably.

Now more than ever, political will is required to dismantle the persistent two-tier education structure and uphold the constitutional right of every pupil to a quality, safe and dignified education.

• Dr Nombeko Mbava is chairperson of the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC)

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