School Reopening: What Parents and Schools Need to Know

When school reopening, the process of resuming in-person learning after a pause, often due to public health, economic, or political factors. Also known as return to school, it’s not just about opening doors—it’s about rebuilding routines, trust, and access for millions of learners across South Africa. In South Africa, school reopening isn’t a single event. It’s a series of decisions shaped by government policy, funding shifts, and the real-life struggles of families trying to keep kids learning while juggling work, food, and safety.

One major factor tying into this is SASSA, the South African Social Security Agency, which administers grants that many families rely on to cover school-related costs like uniforms, transport, and meals. When SASSA adjusts grant amounts—like the R10 increase announced for October 2025—it doesn’t just change bank balances. It affects whether a child can even walk through the school gate. A parent might skip buying shoes so they can pay for a bus ride. A grandmother might skip a meal so her grandchild gets a packed lunch. These aren’t abstract policy details—they’re daily choices tied directly to school reopening.

And it’s not just money. education policy, the rules and frameworks set by government bodies that determine how schools operate, what’s taught, and who gets support. has shifted over the years. Some schools still lack clean water or reliable electricity. Others are overcrowded because of delays in hiring teachers. When reopening happens, it’s not just kids returning—it’s systems trying to catch up. The 2024 election uncertainty hit confidence across sectors, including education. Now, with business confidence rebounding and government actions becoming more coordinated, there’s a chance things might improve—but progress is slow, uneven, and often invisible to those outside the system.

What you’ll find in this collection are real stories and facts about how school reopening plays out on the ground. From grant changes that make or break attendance, to policy shifts that ripple through classrooms, to the quiet resilience of teachers and parents holding it all together. This isn’t about headlines. It’s about what happens after the announcement, when the bell rings and the doors open.