4300 schools close but more being built

The government has shut down almost 4300 schools in South Africa in the past five years - and hundreds more are facing closure.

According to a report compiled by the Department of Basic Education and released in 2007, there were 30117 operational schools.

However, a report compiled in 2009 showed that the total number of schools had declined to 25 827. In Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal the number of schools had increased.

The reports were commissioned to establish information aimed largely at supporting national and provincial education departments in planning and decision-making.

Schools most affected were in townships and rural areas. Of these, 992 were in the Free State and 874 in North West.

The main reason cited for the closures was the decline in pupil numbers as a result of poor performance of township and rural schools.

Yet, as more schools face closure, the Department of Basic Education is building others, citing shortages.

DBE spokesman Panyaza Lesufi said the shutting down of schools was a provincial "prerogative".

He denied that the trend of closing down schools was a "national crisis", adding that Gauteng was the only province ravaged by abandoned schools.

"Parents are voting to pull their children out of underperforming township schools to better schools in the cities," Lesufi said.