National context of education in South Africa
- State investment in education: The government’s budget for education, learning, and culture in 2024/25 is R480 billion. This is up from R457 billion in 2023/24. The allocation constitutes 20% of the consolidated national government expenditure bill of R2.37 trillion. Of this, R303 billion (63%) is allocated to basic education, while R47 billion is reserved for higher education. R13 billion is allocated to technical vocational education and training (TVET), and R53 billion to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
- According to the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the government’s pro-poor education policies include free nutritious meals served every school day. Roughly 9.6 million children (84% of all learners) benefit from the policy. Around 75% of public school learners who do not pay school fees receive free meals.
- The 2022 Census found that six out of 10 children aged 0 to 4 had access to some form of early childhood development (ECD) programme. The DBE has developed a 2030 Strategy for ECD and a new service delivery model to achieve universal access to quality ECD. The strategy prioritises the most vulnerable children.
- The World Bank reports that South Africa’s 2023 gross primary school enrolment rate was 98%. This indicates that almost all children of primary school age are enrolled in school.
- According to the Minister of Basic Education, 740 566 out of 1.2 million learners who started grade 1 in 2012 reached matric in 2023 (approximately 61%). This indicates a dropout rate of almost 40%. Of these, 715 719 sat for the 2023 National Senior Certificate examination, achieving a pass rate of 82%, up from 80% in 2022.
- In June 2024, the DBE re-gazetted regulations to compel all schools in the country to meet minimum energy, sanitation and infrastructure standards – or put them in their active plans. In 2023, more than 3 300 of the 23 000 public schools still used pit latrines.
- In a 2023 report on skills gaps in South Africa, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) identified soft skills to be the top skills gaps in South Africa. The skills identified included reading with comprehension, writing, active listening and learning, and critical thinking.
- Phase 5 of the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI) was launched in 2024. It forms part of the broader Presidential Youth Employment Initiative. It aims to continue to provide employment opportunities as education and general school assistants to young people aged 18 to 35. By the end of phase 4, the BEEI had provided employment opportunities to over 850 000 young people.
- On 13 September 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill into law. The Bill aims to strengthen governance in South Africa’s education sector. It mandates that grade R becomes part of the compulsory education system. The Bill also imposes penalties for parents who fail to ensure their children attend school. It reinforces the ban on corporal punishment and harsh initiation practices in schools. One of the most contentious aspects of the BELA Bill is the proposal to give provincial heads of departments more control over a school’s language and admission policies.
Overview of corporate social investment in education
Education was supported by 92% of companies and received 45% of average CSI expenditure.

Level of education
Average % CSI education spend 2024 n=50
Early childhood development: 31%
General education: 21%
Further education and training: 21%
Tertiary education: 23%
Adult education: 4%
- There has been a steady increase in support for ECD. The sub-sector received on average 31% of education spending in 2024, an increase from 26% in 2023. In 2014 it received 18% of the average investment in education.
- School-level education (general plus further education and training) received 42% of the average spend, in line with 2023 expenditure.
- Tertiary education received 23% of corporate social investment in the sector, a slight decline from 27% in 2023.

Types of interventions
Average % CSI education spend 2024 n=48
24%: Bursaries, scholarships, and university chairs
16%: Infrastructure, facilities, and equipment
12%: Teacher development
10%: Learner development
10%: Curriculum development
9%: Whole school development
6%: ICT infrastructure
3%: Special needs interventions
2%: School governance, leadership, and functionality
8%: Other
- Bursaries, scholarships and university chairs received the most support, with an average 24% of education investment in 2024. This is in line with previous years.
- Infrastructure, facilities and equipment, and teacher development received the next highest investment at 16% and 12% of education spending, respectively.

Subject area
38% – Not subject specific
24% – Maths and science
13% – Language and literacy
7% – Information technology
5% – Specialised subjects
4% – Vocational and technical education
4% – Financial literacy
3% – Life skills
2% – Other
- In line with 2023 findings, the largest portion of corporate social investment in the sector was not subject-specific (38%).
- For the first time in over a decade, maths and science received the second highest portion (24%), slightly lower than the 27% in 2023.
- Companies invested on average 13% of their CSI budgets on language and literacy, the same as in 2023.
- Vocational and technical education (4% of sector investment), and life skills (3%) continue to receive the smallest share of corporate spending on the sector.
Read more:
- Read the case study Collaboration to reform South African education: National Education Collaboration Trust.
Source: The original version of this article was published in the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2024 (27th edition).