More than half of schools for learners with special education needs in KwaZulu-Natal do not have enough money to start the new school year tomorrow (14 January 2026). Some LSEN schools have indicated that they are struggling to remain open. This despite KZN Education MEC, Mr Sipho Hlomuka’s comments in the media ensuring school communities of a “well-coordinated and successful start to the 2026 school year”.

          “Several LSEN schools in KwaZulu-Natal are still waiting for the final resource allocation payments of 2025,” says Mrs Hetta Müller, KZN provincial manager of the school governing body organisation FEDSAS. Provincial education departments have to make these statutory payments to public schools in accordance with the National Norms and Standards of School Funding. Schools use the money for expenses related to the running a school, including municipal accounts, stationary and textbooks.

          “LSEN schools have even more expenses. Most of these schools also have hostels where learners in some instances require 24-hour specialist care. The KZN Education Department’s administrative negligence is making a mockery of these learners’ right to education and dignity. The situation is also contributing to an untenable work load for educators and carers, and parents’ concern for the wellbeing of their children,” says Müller. 

          The school principal of Ethembeni School for learners with special education needs, Mr Braam Mouton says this school’s electricity supply will be cut soon.

          “We are still waiting for the final departmental payment of last year. To add insult to injury, there was an error with the allocation of last year’s payments, which resulted in NNSSF funds being earmarked for infrastructure. Instead of correcting this, the department is using this administrative error to make its own decisions regarding the amounts and timeline of payments.”

          Mouton says the provincial education department’s regular delays with payments the school has been forced to use all its reserve funds for operational expenses. “The KZN Education Department is completely out of touch with what it costs to run a school, especially an LSEN school. LSEN schools are always last in line when it comes to resources.”

          Müller says over the past couple of months the KZN Education Department was in the news several times due to delays with payments, problems with post provisioning, mismanagement of the school nutrition programme and many other issues. Last year, FEDSAS lodged an application with the high court against the KZN Education HOD following the department’s failure to release and communicate to schools the 2025 post provisioning in time.

          “Yet here we are – schools still don’t have enough educators in classrooms or money in the bank to run the school. It is reprehensible to boast about the department’s competence while vulnerable children are the victims of political power games and incompetent administration,” says Müller.

          “FEDSAS urges the KZN Education Department to address the situation immediately to ensure that thousands of learners with special education needs can start their school year tomorrow.”