More than 60 schools operating without the required registration have been shut down in Gauteng since the beginning of 2026, as the provincial education department intensifies enforcement against institutions it says could leave learners without recognised education records.
Chriselda Mosibudi-Makhubela, director for independent schools at the Gauteng Department of Education, said unregistered schools remain a significant concern in the province.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, she warned that children enrolled at illegally operating institutions may face serious difficulties when they later attempt to move into the formal education system.
The department’s concern is linked to the fact that learners at unregistered schools are not properly captured in the state’s education management information system. As a result, academic reports and qualifications obtained through such institutions may not be accepted by legitimate schools.
This can have long-term consequences for learners who need to transfer schools or continue their education elsewhere.
Weekly operations target unregistered schools
Gauteng has responded by increasing inspections and enforcement operations across the province.
Mosibudi-Makhubela said officials have established regular operations and are closing illegal schools as part of an ongoing campaign. She said the department is currently able to close at least six illegally operating schools during its Monday operations.
More than 60 institutions have been shut down since January as a result of the campaign.
The department says some operators have attempted to use gaps in the registration system to establish schools before all legal requirements have been met. While the regulations allow for provisional registration in certain circumstances, the department has become increasingly reluctant to grant provisional status to schools that continue operating without satisfying outstanding requirements.
Schools seeking to operate legally must meet a range of conditions. These include obtaining appropriate zoning approval for educational use, as well as health and fire-safety certificates.
According to the department, these documents are intended to establish that an institution has suitable premises and can provide a safe environment for children.
The problem has also extended beyond regulatory breaches in some cases. Education officials have encountered situations involving suspected criminal activity, including child trafficking.
Mosibudi-Makhubela said staff shortages had previously made it more difficult for the department to monitor schools across the province. A restructuring process left a number of posts vacant for several years, limiting oversight capacity.
The department has since filled a number of positions, including about 15 appointments that helped strengthen its enforcement capacity.
Gauteng Education is also working with the South African Police Service, Home Affairs, municipalities and councillors. These partnerships are intended to help officials deal with school operators who resist enforcement and assist learners affected by closures.
Parents urged to verify school registration
The department says parents have an important role to play in preventing children from being enrolled at illegal schools.
Parents are advised to ask schools to produce their registration certificates before paying fees or enrolling their children. The certificate should contain the institution’s name, owner and physical address.
The physical address is particularly important. If the address shown on the certificate does not match the premises where the child is actually attending classes, the department says this could indicate that the institution is operating illegally.
Parents should also avoid relying solely on a registration number when checking a school’s status. They are encouraged to examine the certificate itself, including its physical address and whether it has been signed by the appropriate head of department.
Families who remain uncertain can contact the Gauteng Department of Education through its official channels to verify whether a school is registered.
The department also plans to make information about registered schools available online, giving parents another way to check an institution before enrolling their children.
The crackdown reflects a broader effort to ensure that learners remain within an education system where their academic progress is formally recorded and recognised.