The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) is under fire after announcing drastic funding cuts for Quintile 5 schools, a move the Democratic Alliance (DA) says is unlawful and reckless. The late announcement, after the legislated deadline for the 2026 academic year, has sparked fears of fee hikes and financial strain on families.
Sergio Isa dos Santos, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, said the party is considering legal action to compel the department to reverse the decision, warning it could undermine education quality and the financial stability of schools.
“The GDE’s decision to introduce the reduction after the legislated deadline of 30 September 2025 is not only invalid but also reckless and likely to harm thousands of learners in Gauteng. Accordingly, this decision must be reversed to provide schools with more time to adapt to the reduced funding.”
He added that for years, the GDE had topped up funding for Quintile 5 schools to match per-learner allocations of Quintile 4 schools, creating a reasonable expectation that support would continue.
“The decision to belatedly inform schools between 07 and 10 October of the substantial funding cuts is deeply concerning. This has affected School Governing Bodies, who had already prepared their budgets based on the previous subsidy levels. The drastic reduction from R879 to R301 per learner places schools in a serious financial predicament and will almost certainly lead to significant increases in school fees.”
Dos Santos described MEC Matome Chiloane’s decision as unlawful and irresponsible and said it reflects a worrying pattern under Premier Panyaza Lesufi. The DA will demand answers on the reasons for the cuts, the missed deadline, and which schools remain affected.
In response, GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department acted within the law. He confirmed that the Indicative Resource Allocation certificates were signed by the HoD on 30 September 2025, in line with the National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF). Principals and SGBs have been notified and will have the opportunity to apply for fee increases and compensation in 2026.
Mabona explained that since 2021, budget cuts under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) due to National Treasury’s fiscal consolidation have left a shortfall in the 2026/27 budget. No additional funding was allocated, so the department reprioritised spending and adjusted Quintile 5 allocations to match the adequacy amount of Quintile 4, following the DBE’s published R315 per learner for 2026.
He said: “To contain the pressure, the GDE has revised its decision to fund Quintile 5 schools using the adequacy amount of Quintile 4 and adhere to the DBE published allocation of R315 per learner.”
The Star
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