Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has told Parliament that more than 250,000 foreign learners were enrolled in South African public schools during the 2025 academic year, according to official education department figures.
According to IOL, Gwarube provided the figures in response to a parliamentary question from IFP MP Liezl van der Merwe, confirming that 253,618 foreign learners and 3,240 foreign educators were recorded in the public education system last year.
As reported by TimesLIVE, Gwarube said the data was drawn from the Education Management Information Systems overseen by provincial education departments, with Gauteng registering the highest number of foreign learners at 128,054, followed by the Western Cape with 59,138.
Gwarube emphasised that constitutional rights underpin access to education for all children in the country, regardless of nationality or immigration status.
“There are 253,618 foreign learners and 3,240 foreign educators in the public school sector in 2025,” she said, adding that the figure reflects legal obligations that prevent schools from denying a child entry based on documentation or citizenship.
March and March Movement leader Jacinta Ngobese Zuma spends time with the South African children who were rejected by Addington Primary School in favour of foreigners.
A heartbreaking sight for the South African community as the children who were left schoolless after being… pic.twitter.com/mKN61IqCem
— PSAFLIVE (@PSAFLIVE) January 24, 2026
Gwarube further highlighted that Section 29(1)(a) of the Constitution guarantees every child’s right to basic education, while Section 28 places the “best interests of the child” at the centre of all decision-making, with dignity and equality applying to all learners. As reported by IOL, she reiterated that public schools are legally obliged to admit learners in line with these constitutional and statutory principles.
The department’s statistics also show that Mpumalanga recorded the highest number of foreign educators (728), followed by Gauteng (717) and KwaZulu-Natal (706), underscoring that foreign nationals form part of both the learner and educator populations within the public system.
The disclosure comes against a backdrop of growing tensions and protests, including demonstrations by organisations such as the March and March Movement at schools like Addington Primary School. During one such protest, March and March Movement leader Jacinta Ngobese Zuma was seen spending time with South African children who were reportedly rejected by the school in favour of foreign learners, a development that sparked emotional reactions within the community.
Some parents have claimed that South African learners are being crowded out by foreign pupils—an allegation disputed by education officials.
The protests have prompted police intervention and renewed public debate around school capacity, admissions policies and the pressures facing the public education system.
WATCH | Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, March and March Organiser, says fighting for the rights of South Africans is not xenophobia and the march at Addington Primary School is about justice and not meant to disrupt schooling. pic.twitter.com/H6THyUCEWw
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 21, 2026
Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
First published on African Insider
Also see: SA schools struggle as teacher exodus alarms education sector
