WCED says it's focused on reducing overcrowding in province's classrooms

CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said that overcrowding in classrooms was a critical priority that it was focused on.

The department on Tuesday briefed the provincial standing committee on education on matters related to school infrastructure.

Statistics provided by the department showed that more than 1,302,132 learners were enrolled in public and independent schools in the province in 2024.

It said that school enrolment had increased by 19% over the past nine years, with a 2.3% increase per annum.

92.8% of these learners were enrolled in public schools.

The department's deputy director-general for education planning, Salie Abrahams: "Our priority is to reduce the number of overcrowded [classrooms]. We recognise that there are far too many schools that are, by our own standards, we'd want to intervene and create more physical space. That’s not always possible... for land and other limitations."

Western Cape MEC for Education David Maynier added that better collaboration with municipalities could aid in creating a more space for learners to be taught.

"I do want to draw the attention of the committee to what some municipalities, particularly the City of Cape Town, are doing, they have developed a model to release fixed property at significant discount prices to NPOs, and the first iteration was approved successfully and supported in a subsidised independent school in Manenberg."