School Uniform Exchange App

07/03/2024

Trouble for private school fees in South Gymnastics South Africa

Elite schools have almost doubled their annual fees over the last ten years -- with data from Momentum projecting that, on average, **private school fees could triple in the next decade**.

Elite private schools in South Africa have hiked fees for 2024, with six out of the top ten most expensive schools now charging more than R350,000 a year for boarding and tuition.

Historically, Hilton College has been the most expensive private school in the country, with an annual fee of close to R400,000 in 2024.

The all-boys boarding school, located near Hilton in the KZN Midlands, was founded in 1872 and sits on over 1,700 hectares of land, which includes its own wildlife reserve.

Hilton and Michaelhouse are two private schools in South Africa that offer pure boarding education. Unlike other private schools, they do not offer day student education.

In 2014, Hilton was the only boarding school with an annual fee of over R200,000.

It may surprise you to know that when you compare the tuition fees of the top 10 private schools in South Africa over the past decade, Hilton had the second-lowest overall increase.

In 2024, the school's tuition fee is R397,660, which is a 90.3% increase from R209,000 in 2014.

St Alban's College in Pretoria, Gauteng, represents the lowest cost hike over the same period, with an increase of 81.7% from R181,000 in 2014 to R328,920 in 2024.

The tuition fees at the top 10 private schools in the country have increased by an average of over 94% within the last ten years.

Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) in Makhanda, Eastern Cape, has recorded the highest increase despite being the cheapest high school in the top 10.

DSG has more than doubled its tuition costs over the past decade, from R157,590 in 2014 to R323,040 in 2024, representing a significant increase of 104.9%.

Another school that has doubled its fees is Bishops College in Cape Town, with an increase of 103.1%.

These increases are concerning, especially considering that inflation over the same period -- as measured by Stats SA -- averaged 64.6%.

The table below shows the annual tuition fees of the top 10 most expensive private schools in South Africa in 2023 at the start of the decade (2014) vs now (2024) and the cost percentage change.

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_**Note:** The fees listed below are as they appear on the various schools' web pages and cover annual boarding tuition only. Fees are for the highest level of learning available (up to grade 12). The list of tuition fees for 2014 is from the private school fees article published by BusinessTech in October 2014._
* * *

| ----- |
| School | Location | 2014 | 2024 | Change |
| Hilton | Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal | R209 000 | R397 660 | +90.3% |
| Michaelhouse | Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal | R192 000 | R368 000 | +91.7% |
| St Andrew's College | Makhanda, Eastern Cape | R187 700 | R363 879 | +93.9% |
| Roedean School for Girls | Johannesburg, Gauteng | R181 140 | R360 087 | +98.8% |
| St John's College | Johannesburg, Gauteng | R178 523 | R352 612 | +97.5% |
| Kearsney College | Botha's Hill, KwaZulu-Natal | R181 350 | R350 130 | +93.0% |
| Bishops College | Cape Town, Western Cape | R168 140 | R341 430 | +103.1% |
| St Mary's | Johannesburg, Gauteng | R173 700 | R335 470 | +93.1% |
| St Alban's College | Pretoria, Gauteng | R181 000 | R328 920 | +81.7% |
| Diocesan School for Girls | Makhanda, Eastern Cape | R157 590 | R323 040 | +104.9% |

https://businesstech.co.za/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/school-fees-2014-to-2024-1-1024x529.png

* * *

https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/752365/trouble-for-private-school-fees-in-south-africa/

The increases in fees of private schools are fast becoming too expensive for many South Africans -- including those who could typically afford these schools.

2024 fees for boarding schools and day schoolers increased at an average of 7.3% across the 40 [most expensive schools](https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/741559/the-most-expensive-private-schools-in-south-africa-in-2024-with-one-now-at-r400000-a-year/) in the country, a couple of percentage points above the SARB's expected inflation rate over the 2023 financial year (5.8%).

This is coupled with the erosion of salaries in the country, where the average take-home pay increased by 1% over the past seven years while inflation increased by 40%, reported DebtBusters.

This means that in real terms, most South Africans had 39% less disposable income in 2023 compared to 2016 due mainly to the impact of high inflation.

Financial pain for those who could typically afford these schools are already showing signs, which Curro Holding's latest trading [statement](https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/749966/alarm-bells-for-private-schools-in-south-africa/) published on 8 February 2024 highlighted.

The group noted that high schools are growing as expected, but the challenging impact of higher interest rates on constrained consumers -- especially young families -- means that enrolments in the earlier grades are struggling.

The group said young families have been hit hard by the rampant hikes in the cost of living in South Africa, and this has resulted in a reduction in enrolments of learners in the youngest grades of primary schools.

More interestingly, Momentum provided data that estimated the average cost of private education in South Africa over the next 11 years ending 2035.

The data considered the annual cost of day students at private schools.

The data predicted that parents could expect to pay around R192,127 per annum by 2030 -- and it seems these schools are fast on track to making this a reality.

The most expensive day school in South Africa in 2023 is Kearsney College -- charging R240,900 per annum for a day boy.

https://businesstech.co.za/news/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_6276.jpg

07/03/2024

**Hair and expression**

The SAHRC also flagged two other issues relating to the "over-regulation" of appearances at schools.

These include rules around hair -- especially where certain racial, gender and cultural groups are disproportionally affected -- and permissions for gender-non-confirming learners to use gender-affirming uniforms.

The department said that direction for learner appearances is expressed in School Codes of Conduct -- and incidents in the past (circa 2016) have already led to conclusions that this code is updated and revised as soon as it is clear that it infringes on learners' rights.

It noted that a protocol for the elimination of unfair discrimination in schools is being finalised, and sector guidance will be provided once that is done.

"In the context of gender identities, the DBE has worked with (various bodies) and other stakeholders to consider a Draft Guideline for the Socio-educational Inclusion of Diverse S*xual Orientation, Gender Identity, Expression and S*x Characteristics (SOGIESC) in Schools, which will provide sector guidance on the matter of school uniforms among other aspects," it said.

The SOGIESC guidelines will provide sector guidance regarding school uniforms in relation to gender-diverse learners in school, it said.

07/03/2024

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) says it will consider reviewing the need for different summer and winter school uniforms in response to the SAHRC's investigation into the affordability of uniforms in the country.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) undertook an assessment of critical issues surrounding various issues that impacted the rights and well-being of school learners across the country, raised in a report published in October 2023.

The main issues flagged by the commission included the necessity to cap the costs of school uniforms to alleviate the financial burden on families. The DBE was tasked with setting a "reasonable" cap on this.

However, presenting its response to the SAHRC's report on Tuesday (5 March), the department said that it was not within its ambit to do so, saying that school uniform pricing is the domain of the Competition Commission.

It said it has been consulting with various stakeholders on the matters raised by the commission, with the feedback generally indicating that the SAHRC has over-extended its designated powers to make various orders to the sector.

Despite this, the department said it would consider revisions that are within its scope -- such as possibly **reviewing the necessity of different summer and winter uniforms and special uniforms for grade 12 learners** in some cases.

The Department of Basic Education says it will consider reviewing rules around uniforms for schools across South Africa.

07/03/2024

Changes for school uniforms in South Africa

15/01/2024

SCHOOL UNIFORMS | COMPETITION COMMISSION PREPARED TO PROSECUTE SCHOOLS

https://www.enca.com/business/school-uniforms-competition-commission-prepared-prosecute-schools

15/01/2024

And these stationery and uniform items often need to be replenished throughout the year.

15/01/2024

Parents are forced to spend thousands on school uniforms, and stationery before the new academic year.

https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/school-uniform-donations-mooted-b595e6e2-be75-427e-828a-7f3f871ffe33

15/01/2024

Chairperson of the KZN Parents Association, Vee Gani, said recycling used uniforms could ease the burden on parents. This comes after the Competition Commission confirmed the receipt of over 220 complaints relating to school uniform prices from parents concerned about the spiralling cost of uniforms...

15/01/2024

School uniform donations mooted

Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal Parents’ Association says it’s time for communities to consider uniform donation initiatives for underprivileged families.

https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/school-uniform-donations-mooted-b595e6e2-be75-427e-828a-7f3f871ffe33

17/01/2023

School stationery is a scam' : Parents air back-to-school frustrations

https://ewn.co.za/2023/01/09/school-stationery-is-a-scam-parents-air-back-to-school-frustrations

Celeste Martin | 09 January 2023 15:41
CAPE TOWN – Learners across South Africa will be returning to school over the next two weeks.

As usual, the essentials that normally frustrate parents during this time are the prices of school uniforms and those long stationery lists and toiletries.

And this is apart from paying school fees and supplies needed for those extra mural activities.

Social media platforms have been flooded with posts from parents and caregivers about their back-to-school frustrations.

Some have even gone as far as asking strangers to sponsor their children.

Is it a matter of leaving it too late, not budgeting, schools being unreasonable, or has the price of having a school-going child gone up significantly?

'School stationery is a scam: Parents air back-to-school frustrations

Social media has been flooded with posts from parents and caregivers about school supplies.

16/01/2023

Parent threatens to sue over school uniform

https://www.herald.co.zw/parent-threatens-to-sue-over-school-uniform/

Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
GOROMONZI High School faces a lawsuit after it barred two pupils it recently admitted for Form One over their parents’ failure to buy school uniforms from the boarding school, at about twice the price charged by major retailers.
There has been an outcry over the pricing of school uniforms sold from within schools, with parents complaining that some schools demand that uniforms be bought from them, at higher prices compared to standard uniform shops.
Some school heads have remained defiant over the Government directive that they cannot compel parents to buy uniforms from the school or approved suppliers, with the Government insisting on allowing parents and guardians to try other alternatives including making the uniforms themselves.
After securing placement for his two sons at Goromonzi High School, a Harare man was invited to complete the admission forms after paying the boarding and tuition fees, and was surprised when the school authorities informed him that his sons would only be admitted at the school after buying uniforms from the school and not elsewhere.
The uniforms were being sold for US$643 compared to $325 at other retailers.
The father of the two boys, through his lawyers, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), is now threatening to take legal action against the Government-run boarding school.
He contends that the school policy on uniform constitutes a violation of the children’s rights to education in terms of the Constitution, given that they had already paid the required fees.
“Your decision to insist that our client’s children can only be admitted into the school after they have bought exorbitantly priced school uniforms solely from the school is grossly unreasonable,” said the ZLHR in a letter to the school head on Monday.
“This is even particularly so, when regard is paid to the fact that the schools fees and tuition have been fully paid up.
“Your insistence is not based on quality or lack thereof of the uniforms from Enbee, but rather what you termed to be school policy which demands that school uniforms must be bought from the school even when there are cheaper and affordable alternatives from reputable uniforms outlets.
“With respect we find your insistence and the supposed school policy to be grossly unreasonable and extortionate.”
To this end, the lawyers gave the school authorities an ultimatum to unconditionally allow the two children into the school by Monday and permit the parent to outsource the uniforms at Enbee or any other outlets.
In the event the school authorities failed to comply with the demand, the lawyers indicated that they would sue the school at the High Court.

15/01/2023

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