Thousands of learners in Gauteng could face delays in receiving their end-of-term report cards due to technical problems affecting the South African School Administration and Management System (SASAMS).
SASAMS, a system supported by the Department of Basic Education, is used by schools to manage administrative information, including learner marks, attendance, behaviour records and the generation of report cards.
The system is currently experiencing technical difficulties, raising concerns that report cards may not be issued on time at some schools before the start of the school holidays.
The Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS) has expressed concern about the impact the disruption could have on learners and parents.
FEDSAS representative Riaan van der Bergh said the organisation is worried that learners will be unfairly affected by the system failure.
"We are very worried that children will be disadvantaged. It is very concerning for children to go on holiday without receiving their reports," he said.
While the technical issues have disrupted the printing of report cards, Van der Bergh noted that schools still have access to learners' academic records. Parents who require their children's results have been advised to contact teachers directly.
SASAMS is provided free of charge to schools and is used in eight of South Africa's nine provinces. The Western Cape uses a separate administrative system, while Gauteng appears to be the province most severely affected by the current glitch.
Van der Bergh also raised broader concerns about recurring administrative challenges within the Gauteng education system.
He pointed to delays in the payment of norms and standards funding earlier this year, saying the latest technical problems have added to the pressures facing schools.
"The Gauteng Department is failing to perform at the level we are used to," he said.
He noted that while many schools had experienced delays in receiving funding earlier this year, some learners are now also facing uncertainty over receiving their report cards at the end of the term.
"The dependency on the state is high. For the first time, we are seeing a situation where we are concerned about technical glitches," Van der Bergh said.
Describing the timing of the disruption as a "late surprise," he said the problems had emerged just as schools were preparing to close for the holidays, leaving many families uncertain about when learners would receive their academic results.