While government schools are vanishing, more private schools are opening.
The number of government schools in SA has dropped by 9% in the period 2000-2010, according to the South African Institute of Race Relations, while, in the same period, the number of
private schools has grown by 44%.
The latest South Africa Survey has revealed the trend, which is immediately obvious when you look at these figures, taken from between 200 and 2010:
• The number of public (government) schools has declined from 26,789 to 24,451.
• Independent (private) schools have grown from 971 to 1,399.
• There are 1,910 fewer schools of all kinds than there were in 2000.
• Nationwide enrolment increased by 3% in the period, although
• government schools only noted a 1.4% growth in enrolment, while
• private schools have enjoyed a 76% growth in enrolment.
According to an SAIRR press release:“'Obviously, there is a growing trend of
parents preferring to send their children to independent schools, but
independent schools still represent only a small proportion of South African schools', said Mr Jonathan Snyman of the Institute's research department.
With about 30 pupils per teacher, the nationwide pupil-teacher ratio in public schools is almost double the ratio in independent
schools, which have an average of only 16 pupils per teacher.”
Private schools still only represent 5.4% of all
schools in SA, although it would appear that more parents are choosing to send their children to a private school environment.
Why do you think more parents are choosing private schools over government schools?
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