KZN Education Department to Close Down Over 900 Rural Schools, Mzansi Raises Concerns: “Doesn’t Make Sense”

• The Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal is looking into closing down more than 900 schools
• The department says these schools, which are primarily in rural areas, will be closed because of low enrolment numbers
• South Africans are unhappy about the move, with many concerned about what will happen to the teachers and pupils when the schools close down

DURBAN - Over 900 schools in KwaZulu-Natal will be shut down because of low enrollment numbers.

The decision was made by the Department of Education in the province, which stated that at least 250 schools will be permanently closed by the beginning of 2024.

KZN rural schools close down due to low enrolment

Most of the schools that are being considered for permanent closure are in rural areas. According to SABC News, the Department of Education is targeting schools with low enrolment numbers.

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Department Head Nkosinathi Ngcobo explained that some schools have already shut down without the government's intervention because no learners were enrolled in the current financial year.

This is not the first time the government has had to close down a large number of schools in rural areas. In 2021, the Department of Education shut down 1 523 unviable schools, according to IOL.

Most of the schools that closed down were in farming and rural areas.

IFP blames government for low enrolment in rural schools

Inkatha Freedom Party’s (IFP) Member of the Provincial Legislature, Mntomuhle Khawula, has blamed the government for low enrolment at rural schools.

Khawula explained that rural schools are under-resourced because of the government's failure to service these schools properly.

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He added that schools in urban areas and townships are more developed than rural schools as parents have the means to send their kids to better-resourced schools.

South Africans raise concerns about the closure of rural schools in KZN

@duke_robin said:

"This is a tricky topic because it is not right to have 13 Grade 12 learners in one class. But my issue is, what is going to happen to the teachers in those schools? Will they be deployed elsewhere or what?"

@daddydeeloc1 said:

"Low enrollment rate is the problem, not the schools. How many youngsters are on the streets instead of being in the classroom? We are solving the wrong problem here..."

@free_blacks said:

"Where are all those teachers going to work after this? Government is working against its people."

@Namritha_ said:

"And yet, we have a great need for education in SA. It doesn't make sense."

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@Agent2053 said:

"How about converting the schools into skills development centres for the youth who want to do mechanics? Instead of going to Grade 8, they can do it as a career development programme so kids focus on the end goal of their career. The current curriculum is not working at all."

@malz10 said:

"Sad part now, is most schools will be in the townships. Kids will have to travel from 6am in the morning to get to school and will probably get home only after 5pm. Other kids will wake up at 7am to get to school and be home by 3:30pm."

@RBauer15833387 said:

"Because students are travelling far to attend better schools! The answer is a school improvement, not closing them down because the KZN education department has driven them into the ground. So township students must travel to the suburbs? What about the townships and rural development?"

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KZN schoolkids celebrate teacher’s new VW GTI by dancing, TikTok goes viral worldwide

In other news, Briefly News previously reported that a TikTok video shows how a South African viral moment reached people in the US. In the video, a voiceover describes how ecstatic they were about their teacher's purchase.

South African peeps reacted by explaining in more detail why the video was a hit. Online users used the viral video as an opportunity to explain a bit of South African culture.

A video shows how a teacher showed up in a new car and greeted her students with cheers. The TikTok clip was heartwarming as the students bust lit moves to congratulate the teacher.

Source: Briefly News