According to the School Realities 2022 available on the DBE website, the number of learners per grade are as follows:
- There are 7 grades in Primary Schools, compared to only 5 grades in Secondary Schools. If there were an equal number of learners in each grade, we will need 40% more Primary School classrooms than Secondary School classrooms.
- Based on the actual number of learners reported in the School Realities, there were 7 906 918 learners in Primary Schools, compared to only 4 766 312 learners in Secondary Schools. If there were an equal number of learners per classroom, we will need 60% more Primary School classrooms than Secondary School classrooms.
- The CSIR guidelines simply reflect similar realities.
- Overcrowding is not limited to Secondary Schools.
- Overcrowding is the result of the migration of learners. This seems to be a combination of the migration from rural schools to urban schools and the migration to specific provinces.
- Overcrowding is also the result of the preference of parents to place their children in better performing schools.