The 2026 school year officially got under way across the Western Cape on Wednesday morning, with more than one million learners returning to classrooms after the long summer break.
VOC News visited Rahmaniyeh Primary School in District Six on the first day of school, where stationery packs were distributed to more than 550 learners as part of the station’s annual back-to-school initiative.
The school, which is more than 100 years old, continues to play a vital role in the community and remains one of the oldest Muslim state schools in the province.
Principal Shireen Jaffer said the school was delighted to welcome learners back and expressed heartfelt gratitude for the stationery drive.
“Alhamdulillah, we are incredibly grateful for this opportunity. We thank the station and the wider Cape Town community for donating so generously to our school. This will make a world of difference in the lives of our learners,” she said.
Islamic Studies educator Umr Isaacs described a renewed sense of energy among both staff and learners as the academic year begins.
“As you can see, the children and the teachers are excited. We had a long break, we rested, and now we’re ready for the year ahead. With all the staff returning, it really makes you feel motivated and prepared to take on whatever challenges come our way,” he said.
Meanwhile, Western Cape MEC for Education David Maynier marked the start of the academic year by welcoming learners at Tamboerskloof Primary School in Cape Town.
During his visit, Maynier highlighted the province’s Rapid School Build Programme, which has resulted in the addition of 175 classrooms and the opening of nine new schools across the Western Cape.
He said the initiative reflects the provincial government’s commitment to expanding school infrastructure to meet growing demand.
“In total, we will have 1.2 million learners in Western Cape schools in 2026. We continue to face increasing demand for places in our schools, so our Rapid School Build Programme is expanding access to education at an incredible rate,” Maynier said.
He added that nine new schools, opened through a phased approach, have now been fully completed for the 2026 school year. These are located in Lwandle, Wallacedene, Blue Downs, Philippi, Tafelsig, Darling, Fisherhaven and Plettenberg Bay.
The first phases of two additional schools — Ilitha Park High School in Khayelitsha and Brantwood High School in Kuils River — are also set to open.
VOC News
Photo: VOCfm
