Best military and remedial schools for troubled youth in South Africa

It is every parent’s dream to see their children grow up healthy and educated. However, this is not always the case because some children are naturally problematic and difficult to control. Such children have anti-social behaviours, learning difficulties, and often get in trouble, making it hard for them to learn in ordinary schools. There is hope for such parents because there are several military schools for troubled youth in South Africa.

South Africa has several children with special physical and mental needs. They need extra care compared to normal children. How does the South African education system handle such kids? Since it is challenging for them to attend ordinary schools, there are special schools for them.

Who is a problem child?

A problem child is a special needs kid with anti-social behaviour and difficult to control. Behavioural problems can be linked to anxiety disorder, depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, delirium, conduct disorder, ADHD, etc. It would help if you took such kids to schools that understand them.

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Remedial and military schools for troubled youth in South Africa

Military schools are generally not designed for troubled teens. You can consider problem child institutions like ranches for troubled boys, boarding schools, boys' homes, residential schools, or teen challenge schools before taking a child to a military school. Below are some remedial schools for troubled youth.

1. Emmasdal Child and Youth Care Centre

• Address: Vaaldam Road, Heidelberg, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, 1442, South Africa
• Call: 016 340 1000, 082 336 0566
• Email: Rachel.human@gauteng.gov.za

Emmasdal is among well-performing remedial schools in Gauteng. The facility admits girls from 12 years to 18 years old. The youngsters are referred here by the police’s Child Protection Unit or a social worker. Rachel Human is the head of Emmasdal Child and Youth Care Centre

2. JW Luckhoff Child and Youth Care Centre

• Address: Vaaldam Road, Heidelberg, Sedibeng, Gauteng, 1442, South Africa
• Call: 010 344 1280, 082 490 7896
• Email: Tozama.tshabane@gauteng.gov.za

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JW Luckhoff Child and Youth Care Centre is among the top remedial schools in Gauteng. The school admits boys with conduct disorder, and some children referred here do well academically. Tozama Tshabane is the head of JW Luckhoff Child and Youth Care Centre.

3. The Bridge

• Address: Robert Bruce Rd &, Soho Ln, Beverley AH 2191 Johannesburg, South Africa
• Call: 010 005 5559
• Email: admin@thebridgeschool.co.za
• Website: www.thebridgeschool.co.za

The Bridge is among top remedial schools in Johannesburg. It was established in 2018 in Gauteng. The school admits children with ADHD, anxiety, mild autism, or ones that have been through traumatic experiences. Parents whose children have a hard time fitting in mainstream schools should consider The Bridge.

4. School of Transformation

• Address: 316 Trichardt Road, Parkdene, Boksburg
• PO Box: 2322, Boksburg, 1460
• Call: (011) 917-1230, (011) 892-5597
• Fax: 086 616 1100
• Email: admin@adhdsolutions.co.za
• Website: solutions4learning.co.za

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The School of Transformation is located in Boksburg, Gauteng. It helps children with several learning disabilities, including ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, high-function autism, Asperger Syndrome, and emotional difficulties.

5. Little Oaks Remedial School

• Address: Benoni Agricultural Holdings, Benoni, Gauteng
• Call: 061 953 9871
• Email: info@littleoaksremedial.co.za
• Website: littleoaksremedial.co.za

The Little Oaks Remedial School is a private problem child school in Gauteng Province. It focuses on kids with Apraxia, Dyspraxia, ADHD, ASD, and delayed learning.

6. Pretoria Preparatory School

• Address: 262 Murray Street, Brooklyn, Pretoria 0181
• Tel: (012) 362-0308
• Fax: (012) 362-0366
• Email: correspondence2@pretoriaprep.co.za
• Website: www.pretoriaprep.co.za

Pretoria Preparatory was established in 1977 in Hatfield before moving to Brooklyn, Pretoria. It is currently among top remedial schools in Pretoria. The school helps kids with general or specific learning problems catch up with their normal peers. Most learners from Pretoria Preparatory manage to get back to mainstream schools.

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7. Pro Ed House School

• Address: 916 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0083
• Tel: +27 12 430 6215
• Email: contact@pro-ed.co.za, info@pro-ed.co.za
• Website: pro-ed.co.za

Pro Ed is located in Cape Town. It helps kids with learning difficulties by offering individual education programmes, multi-disciplinary, and thinking skills programmes. Pro Ed House School keeps small classes of not more than 12 students.

8. Oakley House School

• Address (Plumstead preparatory): 99 Main Road, Plumstead 7800
• Tel: 021 762 7204
• Email: infoprep@oakleyhouse.co.za
• Address (Durbanville preparatory): 17 New Street, Durbanville 7550
• Tel: 021 023 3582, 064 725 1854
• Email: infodville@oakleyhouse.co.za
• Address (high school): 68 Myburgh Road, Diep River 7800
• Tel: 021 713 3885
• Email: infohigh@oakleyhouse.co.za
• Website: www.oakleyhouse.co.za

The Oakley House School is located in Cape Town. The institution admits children with learning difficulties as well as special needs learners, including ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ASD, motor difficulties, and others. Classes start from Grade R to grade 12.

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9. Abeille Ruche School

• Address: 17 Graaff Avenue Milnerton, Cape Town, South Africa
• Tel: +27 21 559 8902
• Email: office@abeilleruche.co.za

Abeille Ruche School is in Cape Town. It provides individualized learning to each learner by ensuring a class has fewer than 14 students. The school is Christian based and offers quality education in a "home-school" environment.

10. Shelanti Private School

• Address: Parklands, 24 Stepney Rd, Table View, Cape Town, 7441, South Africa
• Tel: 021 557 3484
• Email: deirdre@shelantiprivateschool.co.za
• Website: shelantiprivateschool.co.za

Shelanti is in the Blaauwberg area of Cape Town. It caters for children with average to high average intellectual potential. Learners at Shelanti Remedial School have mild to moderate support needs like dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dyslexia, apraxia, concentration difficulties, dysgraphia, and autistic spectrum syndromes. Class sizes range from 8-14 learners.

Remedial schools in South Africa

The purpose of remedial schools is to help your kid address gaps in basic learning skills, especially in reading and mathematics. The programs are usually held at the kid’s learning pace.

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Remedial will help you assess if your child has a disability, thus eliminating the need to take them to a special needs school when all they need is extra attention. Not all problem children have an emotional or learning disability. The following are some of the remedial institutions located in different parts of South Africa:

11. Catchup Kids

• Address (Johannesburg, Waverly): 80 Athol Street, Waverley, Johannesburg
• Address (Johannesburg, Highlands North): 112 Athol Street, Highlands North, Johannesburg
• Address (Johannesburg, Douglasdale): 72 Glenluce Drive, Douglasdale, Johannesburg
• Address (Durban North): 3 Ridge Way, Mount Edgecombe, Durban
• Address (Pretoria): 480 Kleineweide street, Erasmuskloof, Pretoria
• Address (Cape Town, Sea Point): 12 Grahams Road, Sea Point, Cape Town
• Tel: +27 (0) 11 440 1666
• Email: info@catchupkids.co.za
• Website: www.catchupkids.co.za

The Catchup Kids remedial centre teaches foundational skills for academic success. Remedial is the suggested next step if your child is struggling at school. This institution tutors foundation phase learners from pre-grade R to grade 3. It has branches in Johannesburg, Durban North, Pretoria, and Cape Town.

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12. Edu Excellence

• Address: online school
• Website: www.eduexcellence.co.za

The Edu Excellence Satellites is an online remedial school. It accommodates Grade 1 to Grade 9 learners. The schools enabled learners to attend school from home, where they could focus on their studies without distractions and peer pressure.

13. Dunatos Private Remedial School

• Address: Old Paarl Road, Stikland Premises, Bellville, Cape Town
• Telephone: +27213006698

The Dunatos Private Remedial School is located in Western Cape. It exclusively cares for children with special needs who cannot reach their full potential in the mainstream education system.

14. Tafelberg Remedial School

• Address: 2 Swellengrebel Avenue, Bothasig, Cape Town, 7460, South Africa
• PO Box: 28376, Bothasig, 7460
• Tel: 021 300 3366
• Fax: 021 558 8155
• SMS: 084000 2280 13177
• Email (reception): reception@tafelbergschool.co.za
• Email (secretary): secretary@tafelbergschool.co.za
• Email (accounts): bursar@tafelbergschool.co.za
• Website: www.tafelbergschool.co.za

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The Tafelberg Remedial School is one of the best government remedial schools. It is an English medium Grade 1–12 public school. The institution offers remedial activities for children with special needs and accommodates over 400 students.

15. Cross-Over Remedial School

• Address: Plot 31A, 200 Springbok Road, Rispark, Johannesburg, 2053
• Call: 010 534 7495
• Email (general enquiries): reception@crossoverremedial.co.za
• Email (admissions): admin@crossoverremedial.co.za
• Email (financial department): accounts@crossoverremedial.co.za

The Cross-Over Remedial School is among reputable remedial schools in Johannesburg. This Christian school accommodated learners from Grade R to Grade 9 and the FET phase. It started in 2008 with one learner and now has 120 students.

Schools for children with special needs

Besides the problem child, South Africa has several children with different disabilities that make learning difficult. Learning disabilities may be dyslexia (reading), dyscalculia (mathematics), or dysgraphia (writing). Special needs kids may also be mentally disabled or have physical disabilities. You can get an extensive list of available special schools from the RSA education website. Here are some of the special needs boarding schools in South Africa.

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16. Star Academy

• Address: 112 Athol Street, Highlands North, Johannesburg
• Tel: +27 (0) 11 440 7796
• Email: info@thestaracademy.co.za
• Website: thestaracademy.co.za

The Star Academy is for children with autism and related disorders. It provides ABA services to children of all ages and across the spectrum at our locations in South Africa (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban and internationally to countries in Africa (Kenya, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Seychelles, Ghana, and Mauritius) on request.

17. Wandsworth School

• Address: 197 Starling Avenue, Boskruin, Randburg
• Tel: 011 793 6310
• Website: www.wandsworthschool.co.za

Randburg's Wandsworth School cares for children from age 3 who have cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, genetic translocations, global developmental delays, and sensory integration disorders. They also accept students with multiple diagnoses or without a diagnosis.

18. Magalies Special School

• Address: 717 21st Ave, Rietfontein, Pretoria, 0084, South Africa
• Tel: 012-330-0168
• Email: magalies@netactive.co.za
• Website: www.magaliesschool.co.za

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Pretoria's Magalies Special School is part of government remedial schools. It caters for mild to Moderate Intellectually Disabled (MID) children. This public school helps learners receive individual attention and addresses their specific needs. It follows the CAPS Curriculum but is customized to fit a MID learner's capability.

19. Centre for Autism Research and Education (CARE)

• Address: 30 Raglan Street, cnr 9th Avenue, Orange Grove, Gauteng
• Tel: 011 485 0335
• Cell: +27 82 614 3080, +27 66 208 1113
• Email: info@thecarecentre.co.za
• Website: thecarecentre.co.za

The Centre for Autism Research and Education (CARE) is in Johannesburg. It admits Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) learners aged 18 months to 12 years. CARE also offers a strong support system to the child and parent by providing facilities, therapies, information, and guidance.

20. Amazing K Autism School

• Address 1: 22 Paul Street, corner Angus Close, Northwold, Randburg, South Africa
• Tel: +27 83 230 5880
• Email: Admissions@amazingk.co.za
• Website: www.amazingk.co.za

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The Amazing K Autism School in Randburg helps children with auditory processing difficulties, speech delays (apraxia), AAC or alternative communication implementation, attention deficit & focus difficulties, social communication difficulties, feeding & Oral Motor delays, and imitation & participation challenges.

21. Johannesburg Hospital School

• Address: Empire Rd & Joubert Street Ext, Braampark, Johannesburg, 2017, South Africa
• Tel: +27 11 643 3050
• Website: joburg.co.za

The Johannesburg Hospital School caters for Grades R to 12 learners (3-to-18-year olds) admitted to the hospital for extended treatment. The children receive medical treatment without interrupting their education. Johannesburg Hospital School's learners have been diagnosed with life-threatening/ chronic illnesses like cancers (leukaemia, brain tumours, etc.), kidney failure & transplant, liver transplant, open heart surgeries, cardiac failure, HIV/AIDS, and rare genetic illnesses. Some are pregnant girls.

22. Little Gems Residential and Respite Care

• Address: 40 Willow Cres, St Andrews, Germiston, 2007, South Africa
• Call: +27 73 930 4420
• Email: info@little-gems.co.za
• Website: www.little-gems.co.za

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The Little Gems Residential and Respite Care facility is committed to offering the best service to the special needs community in South Africa. It has a learning and respite care center (residential/boarding ) for children and young adults with learning and physical disabilities.

23. Alma School

• Address: 404 Franzina Street, Eloffsdal, Pretoria
• Tel: (012) 335 0252 / 1301 / 5321
• Fax: 086 769 7668
• PO Box: 24005, Gezina, Pretoria, 0031
• Email (general information): admin@almaschool.co.za
• Email (admission): deputy1@almaschool.co.za
• Email (finances): janaS@almaschool.co.za
• Website: www.almaschool.co.za

Pretoria's Alma School is a non-profit organization. It was established in 1963 when parents of disabled children formed a care group. It has over 350 students aged 5-18 years, and the school exposes them to various sports and cultural activities.

24. Harding Special School

• Address: Gallaway Street Harding, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 4680
• Tel: +27 39 433 1143
• Website: www.hardingss.org.za

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Most children at Harding Special School come from impoverished, rurally based Zulu-speaking homes. The school provides education, therapy, medical care, and rehabilitation for physically disabled children in KwaZulu-Natal. It has about 167 learners, of which all, but a few, live in the school's hostel.

25. Forest Town School

• Address: New Forest Rd, Forest Town, Johannesburg, 2122
• Call: 011 646 0131
• Email: info@fts.org.za
• Website: www.foresttownschool.co.za

SA's Forest Town School is among remedial schools in Johannesburg that provide quality learning, teaching, and therapy. A small group of parents founded it on 24 September 1948, and it was the first school and treatment centre to be established for Cerebral Palsied children in South Africa.

Military schools in South Africa

Some troubled teenagers exhibit behaviours like violence, depression, suicidal signs, committing crimes, abusing drugs and alcohol, etc. Besides boarding schools offering therapeutic programs, military and reform schools in South Africa are alternative schools for troubled youth. They instill discipline and help the youth have a positive attitude towards life. These disciplinary schools in South Africa should not be taken as a punishment. The following are some military institutions in SA:

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26. Boys and Girls Town

• Address: 11 Lemon Street, Sunnyside, Johannesburg, 2092
• Tel: +27 (0) 11 482 2655
• PO Box: 91661, Auckland, Park 2006
• Email: jds@gbtown.org.za
• Website: www.girlsandboystown.org.za

The Boys and Girls Town has branches in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Magaliesburg, and more places in South Africa. The institution was established in 1958 to heal the broken hearts of children harmed by physical and emotional abuse.

27. Warriors Academy

• Address: A46.1 Franschoek, Magoebaskloof 0731, Limpopo Province, South Africa
• Tel: +27 (0)83 737 2892
• PO Box: 369, Tzaneen 0850, Limpopo Province, South Africa
• Email: marketing@warriors.co.za
• Website: www.warriors.co.za

The Warriors Academy in Magoebaskloof has been offering internationally accredited gap year programs in South Africa for almost two decades. It helps people find their passion and facilitates personal growth and development through adventure and coaching.

28. Chrysalis Academy

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• Address: Chrysalis Academy Porter Estate, Tokai Road, Cape Town,
• Tel: 021 712 1023
• Fax: 021 712 1075
• E-mail: info@chrysalisacademy.org.za
• Website: chrysalisacademy.org.za

Cape Town's Chrysalis Academy is among top military boarding schools in South Africa. It is geared towards the development of youths aged 18-25. The 3-month training course is a platform for the youth to deepen their resilience and unleash their potential. It helps them develop mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

29. School of Hope

• Address: 41 Newton Road, Gants Plaza, Strand, South Africa, 7130
• Call: 021 852 3425
• Website: hope.org.za

The School of Hope in Cape Town has over 170 students. It provides education to children who are at risk and vulnerable. The school tries to minimize dropouts caused by teen pregnancy, drugs and gangsterism. It caters for young people who abandon studies to assist their desperate families or escape poverty and abuse by turning to the streets.

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30. SPARK Schools

• Address: 41 High Rd, Bramley, Johannesburg, 2018
• Tel: +27 (0) 10 125 0601, +27 (0) 10 125 0600
• Website: www.sparkschools.co.za

Ryan Harrison and Stacey Brewer co-founded Spark Schools in 2012. It is among the best military high schools in South Africa. The institution is committed to nurturing responsible, persistent, and kind scholars who can positively contribute to South Africa’s future. It accommodated Grade R to Grade 7 learners (primary school model) and Grade 8 to Grade 12 students (high school model).

31. The South African Military Academy

• Founded: 1950
• Headquarters: Saldanha, South Africa
• Affiliation: South African National Defence Force

The South African Military Academy is among the best military boarding schools in South Africa. It is a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) military unit. The academy also houses the Faculty of Military Science from the University of Stellenbosch. Its principles are similar to those of the US military academy system.

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All parents have the responsibility to ensure that their children go to school, no matter how difficult the situation may seem. Military schools for troubled youth will ensure that your child gets the education they deserve.

READ ALSO: A list of least expensive private schools in South Africa and their fees

Briefly.co.za highlighted private schools across South Africa with affordable fees. They include SA College Private School in Pretoria, Mainstream College in Olifantsfontein, Helpmekaar College in Johannesburg, and others.

Private schools are often linked to quality education and state-of-the-art facilities, which contribute significantly to the high performance of students. However, not all parents can take their children to such institutions because of their high fees.

Source: Briefly News