Gauteng is facing a deepening crisis of overcrowding in public schools, with the average pupil-to-teacher ratio reaching an alarming 70 to one.
Former Education MEC Matome Chiloane acknowledged that the demand for school placements continues to outpace the construction of new facilities. He indicated that the province requires approximately 200 additional schools to ease the pressure.
Responsibility for addressing the crisis now falls to his successor, Lebogang Maile.
Maile is expected to visit Bovet Primary School, where he will assess conditions on the ground before outlining plans aimed at tackling overcrowding and improving access to education.
The visit is anticipated to provide further clarity on the provincial government’s strategy to respond to growing enrolment pressures and infrastructure shortages.