66% of children in SA schools parents don’t pay school fees

Statistics South Africa (StatsSA)’s latest Education report has revealed that nearly seven in 10 children attending school in South Africa do not pay tuition fees, underscoring the far-reaching impact of the country’s no-fee schooling policy. According to the report, 65.7% of individuals aged 5 years and older who attended educational institutions in 2024 did not pay for tuition, while 34.3% did. The report shows a dramatic shift over the past two decades.

In 2002, almost all students (99.6%) paid tuition fees. Stats SA attributes the sharp reduction largely to the introduction of the no-fee schools policy in 2007, which expanded access to free basic education. “By 2010, the percentage of fee-paying students had already been reduced by more than half, reflecting the policy’s substantial impact,” the report notes.

For those who do pay, the report stresses that school fees remain the largest component of household education expenditure. “These fees have consistently increased at a rate exceeding headline inflation,” it added. The rising cost of education, the report warns, presents “a significant challenge across the globe, with implications for students, families and educational institutions”. “The impact of inflation extends beyond tuition, influencing the affordability of housing, food and essential learning materials.” While more students benefit from no-fee schools, financial constraints remain the biggest barrier to education, keeping thousands out of classrooms.