Unplaced students, teacher shortages: Top challenges faced by DBE in 2025

While many students have been placed in the country’s public schools, the Department of Basic Education reported that 28 371 students in different grades remain unplaced.

On Tuesday, the department briefed the Portfolio Committee on Basic education on the state of readiness for the 2025 academic year.

The report revealed significant progress in several areas, though ongoing challenges remain, particularly in learner placement, infrastructure, and teacher vacancies.

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28 371 students unplaced

According to the department, as of 15 January 2025, 99.2% of new pupils had been placed, amounting to nearly 2.5 million students, with 28 371 students unplaced.

“99.2% [are] already in classes, whilst 0.8% [are] still to be placed.”

The department stated that parental relocation, refusals of assigned schools, and requests for preferred schools lead to placement delays.

“The last Tuesday of January 2025 falls on the 10th day (28 January 2025) of the school where the head count of pupils is expected to be finalised. Therefore, stats will be expected the following Thursday at the end of the month.”

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Teacher shortages

While teacher shortages remain a pressing issue, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape have not yet finalised staffing allocations due to logistical challenges.

The Western Cape saw the steepest reduction in teaching posts, with 2 407 positions cut over three years.

Although vacancy rates have improved compared to 2023, leadership and promotional posts remain unfilled in some provinces.

“Notably, the Free State Provincial Education Department stands out as the only province that did not advertise any promotional posts during the 2024 academic year, highlighting a gap in addressing these essential vacancies.”

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Schools infrastructures

The department further outlined contingency plans to address classroom shortages, overcrowding, and storm-damaged schools.

“Provinces identify risk areas and DBE requests provinces to provide remedial actions to ensure that these are mediated against to ensure that teaching and learning can commence on the reopening of schools,” it stated.

It said that it would identify schools that are likely to experience overcrowding and would provide temporary relief.

The department added that plans are in place to provide mobile classrooms to decrease classroom overcrowding.

The DBE emphasised its commitment to resolving these issues swiftly to ensure an uninterrupted start to the academic year. Still, the lingering gaps underscore the need for continued oversight and intervention.

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