Severe overcrowding at a primary school in Alexandra has prompted protests by parents and raised concerns about conditions in Gauteng schools.
Parents of children at Bovet Primary School recently staged a protest, saying conditions were not suitable for learning because some children were forced to sit on the floor due to a lack of desks and space.
General secretary of the National Association of School Governing Bodies, Matakanye Matakanya, said the situation is a “very serious matter” that does not make educational sense. He questioned how pupils were expected to write and concentrate in such conditions.
“It is unacceptable,” he said.
Matakanya said the issue has been raised with the basic education department, but little progress has been made.
“We said let’s come together and see how best we can solve this matter,” he said, adding the situation was worsened by the closure of some schools that could be used to ease overcrowding.
“Overcrowding makes classroom management more difficult and often forces teachers into “survival-based teaching.”
— Prof Veronica Dwarika
He said expecting teachers to perform under such conditions was unrealistic, especially with classes of up to 90 pupils, and he defended parents’ right to protest.
“Somebody must hear them,” he said.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union said overcrowded classrooms are placing a strain on pupils and teachers. Spokesperson Nomusa Cembi said large class sizes made it difficult for teachers to give individual attention, meaning some pupils are left behind.
“One teacher cannot give individual attention if there are too many pupils,” she said.
She said the situation is stressful for teachers and makes effective teaching difficult. “It is unhealthy, it is hazardous and it does not benefit education at all,” she said, raising concerns about safety and limited movement in overcrowded classrooms.
Cembi said teachers receive little support in such conditions and called for urgent intervention, including building more classrooms and hiring more teachers.
An education expert from the University of Johannesburg said the crisis went beyond a lack of infrastructure and posed serious risks to learning and child development.
Prof Veronica Dwarika, head of department and educational psychologist in the faculty of education, said overcrowded classrooms are a major barrier to academic achievement, especially in the early years when individual attention is critical. In such environments, teachers are unable to give feedback, support struggling pupils or identify learning difficulties, meaning many pupils “fall through the cracks”.
She said large class sizes also reduced the quality of teaching as teachers cannot adapt lessons to meet different learning needs or use interactive teaching methods.
The impact is not only academic. Dwarika said overcrowded classrooms are linked to stress, frustration and reduced participation among pupils, with noise and distraction making it harder to concentrate.
“For young children, learning is relational and interactive,” she said, warning cramped conditions and sitting on the floor can affect pupils’ motivation, self-esteem and sense of belonging.
I am a resident of that community. I’m fully aware of the matter and am part of co-ordinating the solutions
— Onwabile Lubhelwana, Gauteng education MEC spokesperson
She said overcrowding makes classroom management more difficult and often forces teachers into “survival-based teaching”, where the focus shifts to maintaining order rather than meaningful learning. This places a heavy emotional burden on teachers, contributing to stress, fatigue and burnout over time.
Dwarika said a class of more than 90 pupils is far beyond acceptable norms and highlights deep inequalities in the education system, particularly in under-resourced communities.
Gauteng education MEC spokesperson Onwabile Lubhelwana said the department is aware of the situation and working on solutions. “I am a resident of that community. I’m fully aware of the matter and am part of co-ordinating the solutions,” he said.
He said Alexandra is densely populated and lacks land for new schools, but the department is exploring options to identify new sites. In the meantime, mobile classrooms and additional furniture are being arranged.
“We urge parents not to disrupt teaching and learning,” he added.
The situation at Bovet reflects wider challenges facing the province’s education system. Gauteng education MEC Lebogang Maile recently said pupil enrolment has more than doubled from about 1.4-million in 1995 to more than 2.8-million in 2026, driven by urbanisation and migration.
He said overcrowding remains a major issue, particularly in township and inner-city schools, where classes can reach between 60 and 70 pupils per teacher. About 723 schools across Gauteng were affected by overcrowding, with a shortage of more than 5,500 classrooms.
The province needs at least 200 new schools, but delays in infrastructure projects continue to put pressure on the system.
TimesLIVE
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