Johannesburg – Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has disclosed that South Africa's state school sector enrolled 253,618 foreign pupils and 3,240 foreign teachers in 2025. The revelation comes amid growing concerns about the strain on state schools to accommodate both local and foreign pupils.
The data was released in a written parliamentary response to a question posed by IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe. The figures have emerged against a backdrop of increasing anxiety regarding the capacity of South African schools to cater for the educational needs of all children residing within the country's borders.
Organisations such as Operation Dudula and the March and March Movement have alleged that foreign pupils are being prioritised in school placements. These claims have surfaced at a time when many South African parents are facing difficulties in securing places for their children for the 2026 academic year. The issue has ignited debate about resource allocation and the rights of children, regardless of their nationality, to access education.
According to the data provided by Minister Gwarube, Gauteng province has the highest number of foreign pupils enrolled in its schools, with a total of 128,054. The Western Cape follows with a significant number of 59,138 foreign pupils.
The provincial breakdown of foreign pupils and educators is as follows:
- Limpopo: 16,566 foreign pupils and 151 foreign educators
- KwaZulu-Natal: 14,929 foreign pupils and 706 foreign educators
- North West: 10,928 foreign pupils and 192 foreign educators
- Mpumalanga: 8,716 foreign pupils and 728 foreign educators
- Eastern Cape: 8,394 foreign pupils and 289 foreign educators
- Free State: 5,157 foreign pupils and 27 foreign educators
- Northern Cape: 1,744 foreign pupils and 262 foreign educators
These figures, Minister Gwarube stated, were extracted from the Provincial Education Management Information System (EMIS) and have been rigorously verified by the respective provincial education departments, ensuring their accuracy and reliability.
Despite the concerns raised, Minister Gwarube emphasised that every child living in South Africa, irrespective of their nationality, has a constitutional right to basic education. She cited the relevant sections of the South African Constitution to support this assertion.
"It is important to note that, in terms of section 29(1)(a) of the constitution, every child in South Africa has a constitutional right to basic education," Gwarube stated, underscoring the legal foundation for inclusive education.
Furthermore, she added that section 28 of the constitution mandates that the “best interests of the child” are of paramount importance in all matters concerning children. These rights, she clarified, are inseparable from the constitutional guarantees of dignity and equality, which apply to all people in South Africa, regardless of their origin or legal status.
The minister reiterated that South African courts have consistently upheld these rights, ruling that access to education is not limited by citizenship, immigration status, or the possession of identity and birth documentation. These legal precedents reinforce the obligation of public schools to provide education to all children within their jurisdiction.
“Public schools are constitutionally and statutorily obliged to admit learners in line with these principles," Gwarube explained. She acknowledged the challenges faced by provincial education departments in managing learner enrolment and educator employment but assured that the Department of Basic Education continues to provide national policy direction, oversight, and support to ensure that access to basic education is managed in a lawful, equitable, and sustainable manner.
The minister's statement seeks to reassure the public that the government is committed to upholding the constitutional rights of all children while addressing the practical challenges of providing education in a context of increasing demand and limited resources. The debate surrounding the enrolment of foreign pupils and teachers in South African schools is likely to continue as stakeholders grapple with the complexities of balancing constitutional rights with the realities of resource constraints and competing demands.
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