Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has challenged claims that children of foreign nationals are responsible for overcrowding in South African schools, arguing that the data does not support such assertions.
According to available statistics, 98.2% of learners in South African schools are citizens, while only 1.8% are foreign nationals. Makaneta said the focus should be on addressing long-standing shortcomings in the education system rather than blaming a small minority of learners.
“We need to stop blaming children of foreign nationals for the challenges faced by our education system,” said Makaneta. “The growing tendency to blame children of foreign nationals for overcrowding is not only misguided, but also unsupported by evidence.”
He questioned how less than 2% of the learner population could be held responsible for the shortage of school spaces experienced in many communities.
“The mathematics simply does not support such a conclusion,” he said.
Makaneta argued that overcrowding is primarily the result of inadequate infrastructure, population growth, and poor long-term planning. He noted that these challenges have existed for many years and cannot reasonably be attributed to a relatively small number of foreign learners.
“The truth is that overcrowding in schools is the result of inadequate infrastructure and population growth, along with poor long-term planning,” he said.
He further stressed that children should not be punished for circumstances beyond their control and that access to education is a fundamental right.
“Children do not choose where they are born, nor should they be punished for circumstances that are beyond their control. Every child deserves access to basic education,” he said.
Makaneta called on the government to prioritise the construction of more schools and the expansion of educational infrastructure, saying South Africa’s education challenges will not be solved by excluding foreign nationals but by ensuring there is sufficient capacity for all learners.
VOC News
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