‘We are barely surviving': the financial crisis crippling KZN's special needs schools

SPECIAL needs schools across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) are battling to keep their doors open as delayed subsidy payments and inadequate funding from the Department of Education push them to breaking point.

With some schools already forced to close temporarily and others operating on a deficit, teachers and governing bodies are making an urgent plea for intervention to save the education of hundreds of vulnerable children.

Earlier this month, two schools in Chatsworth, shut their doors due to delayed subsidy payments by the Department of Education in KZN. 

While the education department confirmed the payments were made last Thursday, the schools have yet to reopen. 

Nompilo Nsimbi, the school governing body (SGB) chairperson of Damorosa Secondary-Prevocational School in Chatsworth, said they would not be able to reopen until they received the full subsidy payment for the year. 

She said they only received two of four tranches which are made throughout the year. 

“The last payment we received was in July. We were supposed to get the first payment in March, but didn't receive it. When we received the recent payment, it barely covered our bills, we are still in arrears.” 

Nsimbi said due to low school fees payment, they depended on the subsidy from the education department. 

“We have a shortage of teachers. The department did not give us any teaching posts despite making promises. We had to employ SGB-paid teachers, which impacts us greatly when it comes to doing other things for the school. We also have a low school fees payment as many of the children come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Many of the children live with their grandmothers or just one parent. 

“We have other costs such as for a private security as we have a lot of big equipment such as appliances. The crime is high in the area so we have to protect the little we do have so the children don’t suffer, as we will not be able to afford to replace it. In addition, we have to pay for utilities such as water and electricity, which is quite high due to the different trades offered and equipment being used,”  she said. 

Nsimbi said the school was not only in need of funds but also resources. 

“Currently we don’t have a psychologist, social worker or nurse. It is difficult as many of the children need to take medication and there are no nurses to give it to them. We cannot afford to employ such staff from our own pockets as we are barely surviving.

“We have two small buses and one taxi, but it is not enough. We have over 300 children at the school, with most of them requiring transport daily. The buses are old and often break down. When it goes for repairs through the education department, it can take between three and four months before we get it back. The buses are small, and can carry only 34 passengers. It is not enough,” she said. 

Nsimbi called on the education department to assist them with the necessary resources. 

“We are not asking for much, but we need the rest of the subsidy to be paid and to be provided with more staff.”

Meanwhile, other special needs schools in the province said they also faced various challenges. 

Veetha Sewkuran, president of the KZN Blind and Deaf Society (KZNBDS), said without sufficient government support, the education and empowerment of blind and deaf pupils was at serious risk.

The KZNBDS owns the properties on which the VN Naik School for the Deaf in Newlands, and Arthur Blaxall School for the Blind in Pietermaritzburg operate.

Sewkuran said the subsidy received from the education department was “wholly inadequate” to support maintenance or essential services.  

“We receive four  payments for the year but it is always paid late and creates serious challenges in the running of the school.  We have only just received the second tranche. 

“The schools rely on the subsidy as most parents are from low-income households and cannot afford additional fees.

“Furthermore, these institutions depend on specialised teachers, assistive devices, and accessible learning materials - all of which are costly to maintain,” she said. 

Sewkuran said the VN Naik School for the Deaf, which had 274 pupils, was struggling. 

“We don't have the funds to purchase photocopy paper, cleaning products or even toilet paper. We are unable to pay staff and other service providers. The school has an outstanding balance with the eThekwini Municipality due to lack of funds.

“In addition, the schools lack social workers, psychologists, and other key professionals, with the KZNBDS stepping in to fill these critical gaps. The education department also has not replaced staff that have retired or passed on. These ongoing challenges have placed immense strain on the KZNBDS  and compromised the holistic development of pupils with disabilities,” she said. 

Sewkuran said the hostel for pupils on the property was not subsidised by the education department. 

“We only have two permanent house parents to care for 80 pupils. The school had to employ SGB employees to care for the children. Furthermore, the school and hostel is old and has to spend a lot of money on maintenance.”

Sewkuran said they relied on donations and sponsorships. 

“However, non-governmental organisations that support both the schools are largely self-funded and rely heavily on the goodwill of the community. We now run a matric marking centre to assist us.

“The education department needs to provide more support staff for the safety and care of pupils, teacher  assistants, reliable transport, assist with the maintenance of buildings and infrastructure and subsidised hostels. Schools just don't have the money to do these things on their own,” she said. 

Nobuhle Ndlovu, the SGB chairperson of Golden Steps Special School in Verulam, said the delayed subsidy payments placed an immense strain on the school’s operations.

“The school receives a subsidy from the education department, which contributes towards operational costs such as learning and teaching support materials and minor maintenance.

“However, the payment of the subsidy is divided into four  tranches with no confirmed date as to when it will be received by the school. Any delays or interruption causes significant cash flow constraints, particularly in meeting immediate operational expenses and paying service providers,” she said.

Ndlovu said while the school, which has about 217 pupils, was a fee-paying public special school, the majority of its pupils were from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

“Collection of school the fees is an ongoing challenge, as many families are dependent on social grants. Despite keeping fees minimal to accommodate parents’ circumstances, school fee recovery rates remain low. For 2025, the school has only managed to recover around 12% of its expected school fees for the year.”

Ndlovu said like many special schools in the province, Golden Steps also faced a number of ongoing challenges. 

“There is a critical shortage of therapists, teacher assistants and support staff in general. The current staff complement is stretched, impacting on the delivery of individualised education programmes to pupils. 

“In addition, the ageing infrastructure requires constant maintenance. Some classrooms and facilities are in need of urgent repair and upgrading to meet safety and accessibility standards. The cost of assistive devices, therapy tools and sensory equipment is high and the school’s limited funding often cannot meet these demands. 

“While the school was provided with buses that are to be used for transporting pupils to school, unfortunately, these buses are now over a decade old and are frequently needing to be repaired. This has a significant impact on the school’s ability to regularly and consistently bring pupils to school,” she said. 

Ndlovu said rising electricity, water and security costs have also placed additional strain on the school’s already limited budget. 

She said to be fully operational and adequately meet its pupils’ needs, the school required between R2.5 and R3 million annually. 

“However, due to subsidy limitations, non-payment of fees, and the rising cost of specialised resources, the school often operates on a deficit.”

Ndlovu said to bridge the financial gaps, the school engages in fundraising initiatives, corporate partnerships and community donations. 

“Recent efforts have included a fundraising comedy show, sponsorship drives for equipment and community-led maintenance projects. However, these sources are inconsistent and cannot replace sustained government support.”

Ndlovu said to prevent the collapse of special needs schools, the education department needed to prioritise timely and adequate subsidy payments. 

“The education department should review and increase the per-pupil subsidy allocation to reflect the higher cost of special needs education. They also need to fill vacant posts for therapists and specialised teachers to reduce the workload on existing staff.

“The education department  should also provide ring-fenced funding for maintenance, therapy resources and assistive technology. There is also a need to strengthen collaboration with the Department of Health and Department of Social Development, as special needs education is a multidisciplinary service area,” she said. 

The Department of Education in KZN did not respond at the time of print.

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