Natu raises alarm over resource shortages in KwaZulu-Natal schools

As the 2026 academic year approaches, the National Teachers’ Union (Natu) has expressed serious concerns over the readiness of schools across KwaZulu-Natal's twelve districts, with thousands of pupils at risk of starting the year without essential resources.

A statement issued by the union's general secretary highlighted that many schools nationwide have yet to receive basic stationery and textbooks, while budget constraints in some provinces are severely undermining educational efficacy.

A focus of Natu's concerns is the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, where the situation appears particularly dire.

The union reported that most schools across KZN's twelve districts have failed to receive the necessary materials for the current academic year.

Alarmingly, some districts have received no supplies whatsoever, while only a handful of schools have managed to secure limited resources.

The challenges are compounded for Section 21 schools with Function C status, where procurement processes are reportedly blocked or have come to a standstill.

Natu's statement mirrored frustrations observed last year, attributing them to operational failures within the KZN Department of Education (DoE).

Principals were required to enter agreements with service providers but failed to receive timely allocations, resulting in uncertainty that left service providers hesitant to deliver without assurances of payment.

“Service providers remain hesitant to deliver without clear communication and assurances of timely payment from the KZN DoE,” the statement declared.

Furthermore, many principals in the region have still not received their full Norms and Standards allocations, undermining their ability to adequately prepare for the reopening of schools ahead of the academic calendar.

Compounding these issues are ongoing repairs that remain outstanding due to storm and flood damage at several institutions.

Natu's assertion that KZN is ready for the new academic year has been described as misleading, necessitating urgent intervention to rectify these systemic failures.

In the Northern Cape, the situation is similarly troubling. Natu reported that although schools began receiving stationery last year, allocations have been slashed by as much as 60%.

This drastic reduction has forced many schools to burden parents with supplementing resources, a practice which Natu condemned as unfair to low-income families who predominantly rely on government grants.

The union noted that schools have been instructed to refrain from using the decreased allocations to purchase textbooks, deepening the resource crisis even further.

In a call to action, Natu urged the provincial department to reverse the cuts and provide adequate resources to schools to prevent exacerbating educational inequalities across the nation.

On a more positive note, Natu reported that schools in the other seven provinces Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape appear to be in a more stable position, having experienced no major challenges regarding stationery or textbook deliveries.

While acknowledging these improvements, the union emphasised the need for consistency across the entire country to ensure all learners have access to the educational resources they need to succeed.

Despite the pressing concerns raised, education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi has yet to respond to queries surrounding these critical issues.

DAILY NEWS