STOP THE 64% CUT TO GAUTENG SCHOOL BUDGETS
We, the undersigned parents, guardians and residents of Gauteng, demand the immediate reversal of the 64% cut to school budgets affecting Quintile 5 public schools from 1 April 2026.
These crippling cuts were imposed without conducting any proper impact assessment and during a severe cost-of-living crisis.
These cuts will:
- Force schools to increase fees that many parents cannot afford
- Reduce classroom resources, learner support, and extracurricular activities
- Undermine safety, maintenance, and basic school operations
- Push more families into fee exemptions, while schools lose funding
At the same time, the ANC-connected Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG) will receive a staggering R397.9 million in 2026/27.
This is a political choice — not a financial necessity.
The reality parents face:
- Increasing costs of food, electricity and municipal services
- Household incomes are under pressure
- Many Quintile 5 schools no longer serve “wealthy” communities
- Demographics have changed, but the Department refuses to acknowledge this
Parents are being treated as soft targets, expected to absorb budget cuts the Department refuses to confront elsewhere.
Our demands
We call upon both the Portfolio Committee of Education as well as the Portfolio Committee of Finance to urgently investigate the budget cuts and;
- Immediately halt the 64% budget cuts
- Release any impact assessment conducted (if one exists)
- Account for why MGSLG funding was prioritised over classrooms
- Review school quintile classifications to reflect current realities
Protect learners, not political projects
Show your support and sign this petition now!
15351 needed to reach 30000
We, the undersigned parents, guardians and residents of Gauteng, demand the immediate reversal of the 64% cut to school budgets affecting Quintile 5 public schools from 1 April 2026.
These crippling cuts were imposed without conducting any proper impact assessment and during a severe cost-of-living crisis.
These cuts will:
- Force schools to increase fees that many parents cannot afford
- Reduce classroom resources, learner support, and extracurricular activities
- Undermine safety, maintenance, and basic school operations
- Push more families into fee exemptions, while schools lose funding
At the same time, the ANC-connected Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG) will receive a staggering R397.9 million in 2026/27.
This is a political choice — not a financial necessity.
The reality parents face:
- Increasing costs of food, electricity and municipal services
- Household incomes are under pressure
- Many Quintile 5 schools no longer serve “wealthy” communities
- Demographics have changed, but the Department refuses to acknowledge this
Parents are being treated as soft targets, expected to absorb budget cuts the Department refuses to confront elsewhere.
Our demands
We call upon both the Portfolio Committee of Education as well as the Portfolio Committee of Finance to urgently investigate the budget cuts and;
- Immediately halt the 64% budget cuts
- Release any impact assessment conducted (if one exists)
- Account for why MGSLG funding was prioritised over classrooms
- Review school quintile classifications to reflect current realities
Protect learners, not political projects
Show your support and sign this petition now!