Gauteng’s education budget is under pressure as rising learner numbers, overcrowded classrooms and the roll-out of compulsory Grade R pile demands onto a R71bn allocation that officials say will not go far enough.
Numbers, compulsory Grade R and a shrinking infrastructure grant
Education MEC Lebogang Maile warned that the province’s allocation, which covers Grade R through to Grade 12, educators’ salaries and learner needs, is being outpaced by increasing enrolments. Applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for 2027 opened on 5 August, with parents required to register using the online admissions system, while Grade R applications are being handled directly by schools or early childhood development centres.
"It will never be enough," Maile said, describing the persistent shortfall between budget and need.
The overall education allocation rose from an adjusted R68.98bn in 2025/26 to R70.95bn in 2026/27 — an increase that government says is intended to carry more learners and services. But a key funding line has shrunk: the education infrastructure grant fell by R463m, from R2.37bn to R1.91bn, a reduction the MEC said has hampered the department’s ability to build new classrooms.
Schools feel the squeeze
Representatives from school governing bodies have warned the cuts and delays are already visible at ground level. Marna Jordaan, chief executive of the Governing Body Foundation, said some Gauteng schools had not received the norms and standards allocations due at the end of 2025, nor their first payments for the current year. That leaves schools without funds to pay for water, basic maintenance and security.
Jordaan cautioned that making Grade R compulsory without adding classrooms and teachers will further stretch capacity. The department has already redirected funds to meet urgent Grade R pressures: R800m was moved from the early childhood development (ECD) grant to help with immediate costs.
Staffing and salaries
At national level, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has said aligning the salaries of qualified Grade R practitioners with those of foundation-phase educators, and appointing additional teachers, would cost roughly R10bn over three years. Treasury has not provided the full amount, a shortfall that has forced provincial departments to reprioritise within constrained budgets.
| Item | 2025/26 (adjusted) | 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Total education allocation | R68.98bn | R70.95bn |
| Infrastructure grant | R2.37bn | R1.91bn |
Practical consequences for learners and parents
On the ground, the pressure translates into larger classes, delayed repairs and limits on the services schools can buy when payments are late. Some governing bodies are struggling to cover basic operating costs, which risks undermining safety, sanitation and the general learning environment.
Parents applying for places should note the differing application routes: Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications must go through the provincial online admissions portal, while Grade R applications are lodged directly with the receiving school or ECD centre. Parents should keep records of submissions and follow up with the school if they do not receive confirmation within the timelines published by the department.
What the department says and what comes next
The Gauteng education department framed the adjustments and reallocations as necessary to respond quickly to rising demand for Grade R while working within the envelope provided by national Treasury. It has not given a timetable for securing additional infrastructure funding beyond existing grants.
With learner numbers continuing to grow and compulsory Grade R adding to the demand for classrooms and trained educators, Gauteng faces a period of difficult choices: recruit and pay more staff, or invest in classroom infrastructure — both of which require significant additional funding.
- Key figures: R70.95bn total allocation for 2026/27; infrastructure grant down to R1.91bn.
- Immediate action: R800m redirected from the ECD grant to address Grade R pressures.
- Longer-term ask: An estimated R10bn over three years to fully align Grade R practitioner salaries and hire more teachers, according to national estimates.
As schools begin the new admissions cycle, the funding debate is likely to intensify. Parents, governing bodies and educators will be watching how quickly provincial and national authorities can translate promises into classrooms and teachers, and whether Treasury will make the extra resources available to match the province’s swelling learner roll.
Reporting from Johannesburg.
