Introduction

Education is often described as the key to opportunity, equality and economic mobility. The Constitution guarantees everyone the right to basic education, as well as access to further education, which the state must make progressively available and accessible.

Yet, the FW de Klerk Foundation’s latest Human Rights Report Card ranks the right to education as the sixth most threatened right in South Africa: A record matric pass rate now co‑exists with a severe early‑grade reading crisis, infrastructure and transport gaps and widespread teacher shortages.

Access to schooling remains broad, but the quality and conditions of education remain deeply unequal. Many learners still attend schools without safe facilities, adequate resources or reliable transport.

Return on Investment

South Africa spends a higher percentage of GDP on education than many developed countries. Yet outcomes remain weak – particularly in literacy and numeracy. According to the Report Card, high spending alone has not produced improved learning outcomes.

Tackling Structural Challenges

To improve learning outcomes, the structural challenges that continue to undermine the right to education must be tackled head on:

Teacher Shortages: A shortage of qualified teachers, especially in early childhood education, is one of the most pressing concerns. The Report Card notes that 7 294 Grade R practitioners in public schools do not meet the minimum qualification requirements, despite Grade R now being compulsory.

Roughly 6 000 teachers also resign from public schools annually due to workload, burnout and poor conditions. As a result, many schools operate with overcrowded classrooms, sometimes exceeding 40 learners per class, particularly in no-fee and rural schools. This reduces teaching quality, and ultimately, learner outcomes.

Infrastructure Failures: Infrastructure remains another serious challenges. The South African Human Rights Commission has documented schools with crumbling buildings, pit toilets and asbestos structures in provinces such as the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.

In rural areas, simply reaching school is often a struggle. Poor roads, long distances and unreliable transport place an added burden on learners.

Transport Gaps: Despite recognition of scholar transport as part of the right to basic education, thousands still lacked reliable transport. Last year, more than 168 000 learners walked over 10 km to and from school, or paid privately despite qualifying for government transport. Long and unsafe journeys increase absenteeism and heighten the risk of learners dropping out.

These realities reveal the lived experience of many learners – an education system that still cannot guarantee safe environments, adequate infrastructure or consistent teaching quality.

Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education: A Step Forward

There are, however, positive developments: The Department of Basic Education has expanded Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education (“MTbBE”) to approximately 12 000 public schools, building on earlier pilots in the Eastern Cape.

MTbBE strengthens home-language instruction in early grades while gradually introducing English. This helps children to grasp concepts more effectively and improves learning foundations.

These reforms are timely: The Department’s Funda Uphumelele National Reading Survey found that around 15% of Grade 3s could not read a single word. This is a stark indicator of the early‑grade reading crisis and an inditement of our education system.

Conclusion

The right to education is not fulfilled by access alone. It depends on whether learners receive the teaching, support and environment they need to learn and thrive.

Improving education in South Africa requires sustained investment in teacher and principal training, school infrastructure, early childhood development and learner‑support systems. If education is the foundation of opportunity, then strengthening this right must remain one of the country’s most urgent priorities.