Free schooling now covers majority of learners in South Africa
More than two-thirds of children attending school in South Africa are no longer paying tuition fees, reflecting nearly two decades of policy shifts aimed at widening access to basic education.
New data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) shows that in 2024, 65.7% of individuals aged five and older enrolled in educational institutions did not pay school fees. Only 34.3% were fee-paying learners — a stark contrast to the situation in the early 2000s.
Two decades of structural change
In 2002, nearly all students — 99.6% — paid tuition. The landscape began shifting significantly after the introduction of the no-fee school policy in 2007. The policy targeted schools in lower-income communities and progressively expanded free access to public basic education.
By 2010, the proportion of fee-paying learners had already dropped by more than half, underscoring the scale of the intervention. Over time, no-fee schools became a central feature of the country’s education system, particularly in rural and township areas.
The reform was part of broader post-apartheid efforts to reduce inequality in access to social services. Education funding models were adjusted to categorise schools based on community income levels, with poorer schools receiving higher state subsidies to offset the elimination of fees.
While access has improved, the report notes that families who do pay school fees continue to face rising costs. Tuition remains the largest single component of household education spending. According to Stats SA, school fees have increased at rates consistently above headline inflation in recent years.
The financial strain extends beyond tuition. Inflation has also affected the affordability of transport, accommodation, food and learning materials, placing added pressure on households.
Financial barriers persist despite policy gains
Although most learners now attend no-fee schools, money remains the primary reason some children and young adults are not in classrooms.
Among individuals aged five to 24 who were not attending an educational institution in 2024, 29.5% cited lack of money for fees as the main reason. This represents a slight improvement from 30.5% recorded in 2015, but financial exclusion continues to affect a significant share of young people.
Provincial disparities are evident. In Gauteng, 42% of those not enrolled in 2024 reported financial constraints as the reason for non-attendance, up from 37.6% in 2015. The data suggests that economic pressures in urban provinces remain acute despite overall policy progress.
Nationally, a majority of those who reported lacking money for fees had already completed Grade 12. In 2024, more than 1.1 million individuals in this category held matric as their highest qualification, accounting for 72.8% of the total. This indicates that affordability challenges may be particularly pronounced in post-school education and training pathways.
Beyond financial factors, the report identifies other contributors to non-attendance. Family responsibilities, including caregiving duties, accounted for 4.2% of cases. Academic difficulties were cited by 9.8% of respondents, while 6.8% said they had not been accepted for enrolment. A further 10.7% fell under unspecified reasons.
The findings highlight both the success and limitations of South Africa’s no-fee school policy. Access to basic education has expanded substantially since the mid-2000s, but broader socio-economic pressures continue to shape participation patterns.
As education costs rise globally, South Africa’s experience illustrates how public policy can shift national enrolment trends — while also revealing the persistent structural barriers facing low-income households.
