"It's Accredited": Benoni Matriculants Enrolled at Unaccredited School Risk Missing Matric Exams

• Grade 12 learners in Benoni were transferred to a private school operating without accreditation to offer matric
• ActionSA called on the Gauteng Education MEC to investigate the school network after Umalusi confirmed most of its schools are unaccredited
• Affected matric students now face an uncertain future and possible exclusion from writing their final NSC exams

Grade 12 learners in Benoni, Gauteng, are facing the real possibility of missing their final matric exams after being enrolled at a private school that is not accredited to offer the National Senior Certificate.

Parents had hoped the school offered their children a better environment, with basic facilities like water, electricity and functioning toilets. But those hopes quickly turned to alarm when it emerged the school was operating without the required accreditation.

ActionSA first raised the issue publicly on 27 May 2026, when Gauteng Education Spokesperson John Moodey MPL called on the provincial Education MEC to intervene. The party's investigation, backed by findings from quality assurance body Umalusi, revealed that several schools operating under a single private school network in Ekurhuleni were unaccredited.

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Of the schools in the network, the Benoni Education Centre had only just begun the accreditation process. El Shaddai Learning Academy and Brakpan Education College had never applied at all. Only one school in the entire network, Dalpark Learning Academy, held valid accreditation.

Matric futures at risk

The consequences for Grade 12 learners are severe. ActionSA alleged the schools falsely advertised matric classes, leading to incorrect exam registrations. Many students could now be excluded from sitting their final NSC examinations altogether.

Beyond the accreditation crisis, ActionSA flagged additional concerns including overcrowded classrooms, unreliable access to electricity and water, allegations of teachers accepting bribes for passing marks, and reports that management called the police to break up a meeting where parents sought answers about their children's futures.

ActionSA has demanded a full compliance audit of the network, a fraud investigation into its directors, the immediate closure of all illegal operations, and the urgent relocation of all Grade 12 learners to fully accredited schools before the exam season.

Watch the clip that has parents and learners speaking out.

Mzansi confused by the story

South Africans on social media were quick to respond:

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@Alakhe_matmatz wrote:

"Haiboo, isn't this the Jameson High School principal?"

@NKamutasa43830 said:

"It's accredited."

More on SA matric and education concerns

• Briefly News recently reported on a viral TikTok video comparing SA matric dance to American prom, with Mzansi declaring their side the clear winner.
• A school community was left mourning the sudden death of a Grade 11 learner with big dreams for the future.
• A coordinating committee proposed a solution for Zimbabwean learners caught in academic limbo after being withdrawn from SA schools.

Source: Briefly News