Online schooling is fast becoming the preferred choice for parents wanting their children to benefit from the flexibility of going to classes at any location.
These classes have grown from a Covid-driven emergency measure into a stable alternative, providing an accessible education option in a challenging economic landscape.
“Over the past few years, online schooling has moved from being a niche or crisis-driven solution to an established part of the education ecosystem,” said Darryn Lee, the University of Cape Town Online High School spokesperson.
“Families are no longer choosing online education because of disruption alone, but because it offers clear advantages for certain learners, including flexibility, continuity of schooling, and access regardless of location.”
Lee said enrolment demand had increased year on year, with the institution receiving more than 13,600 applications for the 2026 academic year.
One factor in this growth is the national learner placement crisis, as demand for primary and secondary schooling outpaces capacity. “Online schooling then becomes the next best available option for many families,” Lee said — it offers more affordable tuition, lower costs and a potentially safer learning environment.
“Online schooling is not a silver bullet for South Africa’s education landscape, and it isn’t suitable for every learner. It serves as an alternative for families with diverse needs and socioeconomic circumstances.”
Online schooling is not a silver bullet for South Africa’s education landscape, and it isn’t suitable for every learner. It serves as an alternative for families with diverse needs and socioeconomic circumstances.
A Market Data Forecast report found that Africa’s e-learning market was valued at $3.6bn (R59bn) in 2024, and is projected to grow to $7.7bn by 2033 at a compound annual growth rate of about 9.1%.
The growth in online schooling is echoed by other providers, including private institutions such as ADvTECH’s Evolve Online School, launched in 2021. An ADvTECH spokesperson expects online schooling to remain a specialised and intentional option, rather than a mass replacement for traditional education.
Evolve Online is seeing growing demand in remote areas, among families seeking more affordable alternatives, and from pupils unable to secure public school placements due to over-subscription.
The school offers Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and Cambridge pathways at roughly a third of the cost of traditional private schools, while the school’s first matric cohort achieved a 100% pass rate in 2025.
“As much as Covid affected other institutions, for us it was a different story altogether,” said Patience Nyoni, chief academic officer of Regenesys, a private higher education institution offering business qualifications via contact learning and its online platform, Digital Regenesys.
During Covid, the institution saw an increase in enrolments, because its already established online platform meant “we were prepared for online learning”. As a result, Regenesys has more online students than contact ones, Nyoni said.
After an initial drop in student performance at the beginning of the pandemic, the institution now reports a throughput rate of 80%, a pass rate of 85%, and success rates for consistently engaged students reaching 95%.
Nyoni noted some key challenges in online learning, including data costs, time constraints for working students and gaps in language and digital readiness. Regenesys tackles these through on-campus Wi-Fi access, recorded lectures and integrated academic support.
Regenesys’s fees are higher than those at public institutions, and economic pressures have made affordability more challenging, prompting the institution to introduce its FlexiPay model, Nyoni said. The model allows students to pay in tranches based on their income, with contributions starting at R1,000.
Nyoni said Regenesys was seeing strong demand for its flagship LLB, growth in economics programmes and sustained interest in business qualifications. The institution is working to introduce AI modules in 2026.
This aligns with PwC’s 2025 Global AI Jobs Barometer, which shows rising demand for AI-exposed roles in sectors such as agriculture, education, and ICT. The World Economic Forum’s “Future of Jobs Report 2025″ projects that 39% of core workplace skills will change or become outdated by 2030.
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