Safety and bullying concerns are driving parents to seek safer school environments for their children.
Image: Picture Courtney Africa/African News Agency(ANA)
In a significant shift, South African parents are increasingly reassessing their children's education choices, with search interest in terms like "school transfer" and "change school" soaring by 150% over the past month.
This data from Google Trends, analysed by Teneo Online School, reveals that the motivations behind this surge go beyond mere dissatisfaction and indicate a deeper exploration of the practical pressures shaping the education landscape for families today.
The data points to five key reasons driving this wave of school reconsideration. First and foremost, affordability is at the top of parents’ minds. With the rising cost of living, many are seeking financial relief rather than upgrades. Search queries such as “school fees too high” and “cheaper schools” have seen a notable uptick of 62%, revealing a desperate need for affordability more than premium educational experiences.
Safety, bullying, and discipline are also significant factors behind this trend, with searches in this area increasing by 48%. Parents report growing concerns over school environments, turning to queries like “school bullying” and “safe schools.” Many are keen to assess risks and respond quickly to issues their children face, indicating a dominant priority on physical safety.
The urgency is further reflected in a 120% increase in searches around transferring schools. This high-intent spike shows that parents are not simply contemplating a switch; they are actively seeking information regarding the logistics of moving their child to a different school. They search for terms such as “transfer requirements” and “how to move my child to another school,” signs that the desire to switch has become a tangible concern.
Additionally, academic support and learning gaps have emerged as critical reasons for this reassessment. Searches related to “child falling behind” and “extra lessons” have surged by 41%, signalling a parental commitment to ensuring their children receive adequate support beyond standard classroom learning.
Lastly, practical matters such as location, transport, and daily logistics are leaning on parents’ decisions, with related queries rising by 29%. Parents are increasingly concerned about commuting challenges and the stress of daily travel, as suggestive terms like “schools near me” and “long commute to school” reveal that geographical considerations are becoming pivotal in school choice.
Taryn Jankes, Chief Marketing Officer at Teneo Online School, emphasises the shift in how families evaluate educational institutions. “Parents deserve proof they can compare, not a legacy reputation they have to blindly trust,” she remarks. Jankes advocates for the need for clearer, comparable reporting from schools and systems that can identify educational gaps earlier, providing necessary support for families before it's too late.