Cape Town - At least 400 Grade 1 learners and over 2,200 Grade 8 learners have yet to find a school as the new academic year starts on Wednesday.
This, political parties warn that the drastic cut of 2,407 teachers will cripple the education system, as they called on Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to intervene.
Protest action has been promised in areas such as Bishop Lavis in the Metro North District, which is set to lose 16 teachers. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) continues with the placement of 2 677 learners for Grade 1 and Grade 8 this week, a better number than years before, according to the department.
WCED spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, said they received late registrations and applications since the start of December. She said the WCED received 124 691 Grade 1 and 8 applications for 2025.
“Placement is in progress for 2,677, or 2.1%, of Grade 1 and 8 learners,” she said.
“While the number of learners requiring placement has decreased since the beginning of December, we have received additional extremely late applications, which has made this a moving target. We are, however, in a better position than most previous years and are looking at placement opportunities.
“With schools opening up for staff on Monday, we can now engage more extensively with schools on these opportunities.”
Brett Herron from the GOOD Party said much work had to be done to maintain the quality of education and legacy left behind by the teaching staff of 2024, and that the brunt would be felt during the new school year.
“Although the province achieved an improved matric pass rate of 86.6%, it remains below the national rate of 87.3%, with a provincial ranking of fifth place,” he said.
“The sobering reality is that the Western Cape remains a province divided. Learners from less affluent schools, in less privileged areas, face the greatest barriers and the least resources.
“This disparity will be compounded by the province’s looming teacher cuts, which threaten to deepen these inequities. Reducing teaching staff will intensify overcrowded classrooms, limit subject offerings, and erode critical learner support, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable students.
“Underprivileged areas, who already receive limited resources, will bear the brunt of the cuts. Areas like Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain will lose 142 and 176 teachers respectively.
“By contrast, Claremont will lose only 9 teachers and Constantia 3.
“In an already strained education system, these cuts could cripple opportunities for future generations, making it even harder for schools in poorer communities to achieve parity with their wealthier counterparts.”
Khalid Sayed, ANC provincial spokesperson, said the impact would be seen as the new school year started.
“The DA’s plan to cut teaching posts will exacerbate this crisis, leaving learners in poorer areas with overcrowded classrooms and fewer opportunities to succeed.
“The ANC calls on the Minister of Basic Education to urgently intervene and halt these reckless teacher cuts before they deepen the inequalities already plaguing our education system.”
The Bishop Lavis Action Community (BLAC) said via a press release that they planned the protest action with a placard demonstration following the cut of teaching posts in the province.
They have demanded: An immediate end to teacher lay-offs and the employment of more teachers; the reallocation of social expenditure in favour of education and health; the provision of Maths, Physical Sciences, Sport, Sport Sciences, Robotics and Coding, among others, up to Grade 12 level; and investment into innovative programmes to ensure working class children develop in the sciences.