JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance accuses the Gauteng Department of Education of acting unlawfully by announcing funding reductions for Quintile 5 schools for the 2026 academic year.
READ: Fedsas and the Department of Basic Education clash over subsidy review
Quintile 4 and 5 schools cater for the least poor learners and are categorised as "fee-paying" schools.
Fedsas reports that 750 public schools in Gauteng have experienced a sudden reduction of over 60-percent in their state subsidies.
The department says it will implement adjusted funding for Quintile 4 and Quintile 5 schools from the 1st of April 2026.
READ: Parents to dig deeper in 2026 as Gauteng’s quintile 5 schools face budget shortfall
It faces a R444-million shortfall in the current financial year.
The DA say this has caused uncertainty and financial pressure for parents, who now face the possibility of hiked fees.
It says the decision is not only invalid, but also reckless and likely to harm thousands of pupils.
Gauteng Education spokesperson, Steve Mabona discussed this with eNCA.