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School learners.
Mpumalanga province has about 9,000 learners who are yet to be placed for the 2026 academic year. This was revealed by the MEC of Education, Lindi Masina during the launch of the Back-to-School Campaign at the Mathupa Primary School in Marite, outside Hazyview.
WATCH | The Mpumalanga Education Department will launch the 2026 back-to-school campaign in Bushbuckridge and address school infrastructure damaged by recent heavy storms. pic.twitter.com/h3keBZ2ELL
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 6, 2026
The campaign aims to ensure that all schools are ready for the start of the schooling year. It also involves communities to ensure that they also play their part in the preparations for the reopening of schools.
Community members, traditional leaders, and Department of Education officials in Mpumalanga gathered at Mathupa Primary School, in Marite, to clean the schoolyard and organise furniture. This effort is part of the provincial Back-to-School Campaign, which aims to prepare schools for the start of the 2026 academic year next Wednesday.
However, over 9,000 children still need to be placed in schools.
Education MEC Lindi Masina accuses parents of not registering their children on time, but says all learners will be placed.
“From May up to August, where we were pleading from our parents that let the register. So, some of the parents did not. So, that on its own creates a problem for the department. It makes it difficult to ensure that every learner on the very first day, but those that have complied. Definitely, they will be in classes. Trying with all the other committees that we have established to make sure that these admissions take place because we are going to make sure that there will be no learner that will be left behind. But definitely, I cannot commit that on the 14th all those that have not been placed yet they will be placed,” she says.
Amid the reported storm damages at 28 schools in the province, MEC Masina announced that the department has procured mobile classrooms to alleviate overcrowding and assist those affected.
RELATED VIDEO | Mpumalanga Education state of readiness ahead of 2026 academic year
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dONE8-8l6go
“To further ease overcrowding and respond to storm-damaged infrastructure, the department has procured 130 mobile classrooms. These units will be deployed to all affected schools as an interim measure to ensure continuity of learning. Sadly, just last week, 28 schools in our province suffered severe storm damage. Our officials are already on the ground, conducting assessment and coordinating repairs so that learners are not disadvantaged,” says Masina.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Mpumalanga House of Traditional Leaders and Khoi San Leaders, Kgoshi Lameck Mokoena has urged communities to work with schools to support learners and to curb crime happening in schools.
“I want to call upon all parents that let’s give our kids a chance to go and learn at our schools. Let’s stop giving them so many errands at home where they end up being tired and not concentrate at their school. One other challenging issue is that there’s so many criminality at our schools, even the food that is delivered here, they deliver food today and the following day is gone. There’s no way in which someone cannot know who is doing this. As parents, let’s be vocal about this and report this to the powers (that be). We will make sure that there’s stability at all our schools so that results speaks to that as well,” says Mokoena.
Learners at Mathupa Primary School received their stationery, and some were given school shoes during the Back-to-School campaign. They expressed excitement and readiness for the new school year.
“I am ready for 2026 and all the challenges I will face. I have received my books and new school shoes. This year we will maybe have other challenges, and we will conquer them with all our education,” says a learner.
“I have got all my stationery, and I am ready for this year. Everything that comes, I will face it and I will do the best than I did last year,” says another learner.
The Back-to-School campaign will continue in all schools across the province. The department has warned principals at no-fee schools against withholding learners’ stationery for any unpaid fees.
VIDEO | 2026 Back to school campaign launched in Mpumalanga
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzL2CmfZulk
