“I Support This 100%”: Parents React Cape Town Ex-Teacher Petition to Scrap Homework in SA Schools
- A Cape Town father and former teacher launched a Change.org petition calling for all homework to be scrapped from schools across South Africa
- Stanford researchers found that more than half of the students in their study named homework as the biggest source of stress in their lives
- Sun Valley Primary in Cape Town dropped homework across all grades years ago and reportedly saw their learners’ academic results begin to improve
A Cape Town father has had enough. Joseph Nefdt, a former teacher who knows the classroom from both sides of the desk, launched a petition on Change.org on 8 March 2026.
Source: Facebook
The Cape Town dad is calling for all homework to be scrapped from South African schools. It is directed at educators and policymakers across the country. His reasoning behind the movement was that the homework burden on children had become too heavy to carry.
Nefdt argued that the mountain of after-school tasks was leaving children burned out, and with little time left to just be kids. He urged authorities to take a hard look at what homework was actually doing to young South African children.
A problem parents have been feeling for years
Parents, especially those in working-class communities, simply cannot offer the kind of support that homework demands. Many come home exhausted from work, and who have no college education themselves, are often unable to guide children through complex tasks. Nefdt is pushing back against the burden through an online petition.
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Newsroom ZA shared the report through a Facebook post on 11 March 2026. It had gained more than 2,000 likes and over 750 comments at the time of this report.
See the report below:
Mzansi shares mixed thoughts about the petition
Briefly News compiled a series of comments from ordinary South Africans and teachers below.
Quintilla de Vries commented:
“Rather, start to campaign for curriculum reforms. You can’t have nine subjects in the senior phase and expect learners to master them. I stand for curriculum reform.”
Chantelle Main Wittrowski wrote:
"I absolutely support this as a teacher too. Rather, implement certain chores, reading a book and family time, board games as homework and no screen time. We will see families thrive, and mental well-being will improve all around.”
Beaulah Charinda Dimingo noted:
“I would sign the petition. The amount of homework the kids bring home is ridiculous.”
Barto Pienaar highlighted:
“Some things, like Maths, need homework. 40 minutes a day in class isn't enough to master maths. You have to practice what you've learned throughout the day.”
Michelle Moore commented:
“I support this 100%, Kids are so overwhelmed with everything and have no time to be children.”
Source: Getty Images
More articles involving school homework
- A Tswana mom living in the Gauteng province filmed her Grade 1 son in an Afrikaans medium school doing his reading homework.
- South African parents gathered in a school parents' consultation where educators actively taught them modern teaching methods and strategies to effectively help their children with homework.
- A TikTok video of a boy in a tiger-striped onesie refusing to do homework and wanting to watch TV went viral.
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Source: Briefly News
