Exploring the State of South African Schools Regarding the Right to Free Basic Education

Abstract

During the apartheid regime in South Africa, many black and other coloured people were segregated both socially and educationally. After South Africa’s political independence in 1994, the constitution was amended where all people were allowed to enjoy every government benefit equally and this benefit includes the right to free basic education. As a form of a pseudo-retaliation, many people that live in the squatter camps seemingly believe that the government must make provision for free basic education to its people in which transportation, food, school uniforms, health care and other necessities must be provided as a part of the free basic education policy. Considering limited government resources, will it be possible to provide all South Africans and migrants that live in South free basic education? The purpose of the research is to revisit the interpretation of the constitutional policy on free basic education in South Africa. The researchers highlight the need for proper education on the meaning of the policy and its importance to the South African public. A quantitative research method was used to record responses from two public schools in Cosmo City. The research will contribute to a better perception about government and the use of its resources.

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*Corresponding author: E-mail: leadershipserve@yahoo.ca;
Cite as: Vondip, Rev. Stephen Hosea, and Jock Matthew Agai. 2024. “Exploring the State of South African Schools Regarding
the Right to Free Basic Education”. Asian Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies 7 (1):36-48.
https://journalsocialstudy.com/index.php/AJAHSS/article/view/67.
Asian Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies
Volume 7, Issue 1, Page 36-48, 2024; Article no.AJAHSS.12148
Exploring the State of South African
Schools Regarding the Right to Free
Basic Education
Rev. Stephen Hosea Vondip a and Jock Matthew Agai b*
a Gindiri Theological Seminary (Affiliated to University of Jos), Plateau State, Nigeria.
b School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Authors’ contributions
This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Both authors read and approved the
final manuscript.
Article Information
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56557/ajahss/2024/v7i167
Open Peer Review History:
This journal follows the Advanced Open Peer Review policy. Identity of the Reviewers, Editor(s) and additional Reviewers,
peer review comments, different versions of the manuscript, comments of the editors, etc are available here:
https://prh.ikprress.org/review-history/12148
Received: 20/03/2024
Accepted: 24/05/2024
Published: 04/06/2024
ABSTRACT
During the apartheid regime in South Africa, many black and other coloured people were
segregated both socially and educationally. After South Africa’s political independence in 1994, the
constitution was amended where all people were allowed to enjoy every government benefit equally
and this benefit includes the right to free basic education. As a form of a pseudo-retaliation, many
people that live in the squatter camps seemingly believe that the government must make provision
for free basic education to its people in which transportation, food, school uniforms, health care and
other necessities must be provided as a part of the free basic education policy. Considering limited
government resources, will it be possible to provide all South Africans and migrants that live in
South free basic education? The purpose of the research is to revisit the interpretation of the
constitutional policy on free basic education in South Africa. The researchers highlight the need for
proper education on the meaning of the policy and its importance to the South African public. A
quantitative research method was used to record responses from two public schools in Cosmo City.
The research will contribute to a better perception about government and the use of its resources.
Original Research Article

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37
Keywords: Basic education; education; constitution; student governing body (SGB); squatter camps;
basic education.
1. INTRODUCTION
South Africa is one of the fastest developing
nations in Africa and it has a population of about
60.14 million people (2021 estimate) and a GDP
growth of 904.743 billion (PPP, 2022 estimate).
Out of this estimate, 29% of the South African
population are unemployed, 90% have no access
to the internet for educational purposes, and only
21.5% own computers in their respective homes
for educational purposes [1,2]. The enlisted
limitations have drastic effects on the interest of
many South Africans in obtaining a basic
education. Katherine Hall [3] listed several
reasons as the main causes of children’s non-
enrolment and drop-out of schools especially at
primary and secondary levels: 10% of children
find basic education uninteresting; 9% were
unable to perform well in their studies; 5%
dropped out; 7% not accepted for enrolment;
disability amounts for 15%; teenage pregnancy
accounts for 7% and financial constraints
accounts for over 13%. Poverty, lack of
transportation, poor nutrition, and lack of food are
other reasons that affect learners’ accessibility to
basic education in South Africa [3].
More so, considering its strategic relevance to
Africa and the world, South Africa is not in
isolation as it is a signatory to several
international treatises some of which are the
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
the Child and many more [4]. The international
connection South Africa has with other countries
and other international organizations might have
influenced the writing of the South African
Constitution to the point that Section 29 (1) (a)
gives every South African the right to basic
education ‘Everyone has the right to basic
education [5]. In addition, the constitution of the
Republic of South Africa points out that everyone
has the right:
(b) to further education, which the State,
through reasonable measures, must make
progressively available and accessible.
(2) Everyone has the right to receive
education in the official language or
languages of their choice in public
educational institutions where that education
is reasonably practicable. In order to ensure
the effective access to, and implementation
of, this right, the State must consider all
reasonable educational alternatives,
including single medium institutions, taking
into account
(a) equity.
(b) practicability; and
(c) the need to redress the results of past
racially discriminatory laws and practices.
(3) Everyone has the right to establish and
maintain, at their own expense, independent
educational institutions that
(a) do not discriminate on the basis of race.
(b) are registered with the State; and
(c) maintain standards that are not inferior to
standards at comparable public
educational institutions.
(4) Subsection
(5) does not preclude State subsidies for
independent educational institutions’ [4]
Unfortunately, there are factors that have
affected the implementation and the level of
people’s participation in the enrolment of learners
at schools and also in people’s perception of the
concept of “free basic education.” This research
is a study of the functioning of public schools in
South Africa with regard to their perception of
free basic education. The researchers used a
case study of two public schools in Cosmo City in
order to determine how public schools are coping
with people of different backgrounds on their
perception of basic education and how it affects
them. The researchers point out that people
generally have a perception according to which
basic education is an entitlement for all citizens
of South Africa without a consideration that
government cannot operate or implement
policies that are beyond its budgetary strength.
1.1 The Problem
The 1996 South African Constitution in terms of
section 29 provides every South African the
Right to Free Basic Education and that this must
be done progressively within the context of the
government means or availability of resources
[4]. This fundamental Constitutional Right is
interpreted and perceived differently by different
people in South Africa. While some think that
education has to be free for all ignoring that the
government or taxpayers have to sponsor
education in South Africa, others are of the view

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38
that there is no equality in the distribution of free
basic education among all public schools in
South Africa [6]. Most importantly, while different
parents with different cultural backgrounds nurse
different views regarding the conceptualization
and the implementation of the right to “Free
Basic Education,” many public schools are
struggling to understand how to apply or use the
rights given to them by the constitution. The
questions surrounding the subject according to
which public schools are functioning is in tandem
with the implementation of the Rights to Free
Basic Education are the focus of this research.
The research focuses on a case of two public
schools in Cosmo City: Cosmo City High School
and Sgodipola Secondary School. The
researchers point those African migrants in
South Africa are also contending with South
Africans over the knowledge regarding the true
beneficiaries of the policy on free basic
education.
1.2 Research Question and Hypothesis
From the nature of the statement of the problem,
the following research questions might be
derived:
a. has the South African government been
able to fulfil its constitutional obligation by
providing all South Africans with free and
quality basic education? Other questions
that pertained to this research are:
1. what are government limitation(s) if any, in
fulfilling this fundamental obligation?
2. how are the current state of schools in
South Africa with regard to the
implementation of the education rights?
3. what are the realities on ground especially
in poor South African communities on their
responses to their rights to basic
education?
4. how can both parents and school
governing bodies be well-informed or
enlightened on government and public
schools’ relationship in the implementation
of the Constitutional Right to Free Basic
Education?
1.3 Research Purpose and Objectives
This research is a study of some aspects of the
legal framework that guides the implementation
of the rights of South Africans to a free basic
education. Other objectives of this study are:
a. to provide an update on how ordinary poor
South Africans are responding to their
constitutional right of acquiring basic
education in addition to government role in
implementing its obligation regarding its
citizenry’s rights to basic education;
b. to provide some suggestions or
recommendation on how government and
the public can further engage each other
on how best to be informed and to benefit
from such a constitutional obligation
defined by Section 29 of the South African
constitution and Article 26 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (1948) [4].
1.4 Theoretical Framework
There are misconceptions that many poor people
have about the meaning of “basic education.”
Generally, people in most cases assumed that
basic education pertained strictly to primary
education without taking into cognizance that
primary and basic education might be used
synonymously; yet the two terms have distinct
meanings [6]. While it cannot be denied that
basic education generally means primary
education, Essop [6] explained that basic
education originally means the stage or level of
education in which the learners’ basic needs
such as a consideration to his/her culture,
environment and social needs are satisfied
substantively. Primary education on the other
hand is the compulsory stage of education that
might not have much substantive contents as do
basic education. Generally, basic education
suggests pre-primary, primary, secondary, and
adult education. Adult education in this case
means an education for people that never had
the opportunity to obtained pre-primary, primary
and secondary education.
1
The South African Constitution Section 29 reads:
(1) Everyone has the right –
(a) to a basic education, including adult basic
education; and
(b) to further education, which the state,
through reasonable measures, must make
progressively available and accessible [6].
It is important to note that the while South African
Constitution guarantees peoples’ right to basic
1
“Basic education” educalingo dictionary, from
https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/basic-education

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39
education, the rights can be implemented within
the reach of government resources, and the
quality and equality to the right are not specified
in the Constitution or at the Constitutional Court.
C. ChÜrr surmised:
It is important to note that section 29 does not
specify the content and quality of the education
that the state must provide, nor has the South
African Constitutional Court considered the
scope and content of the right to basic education.
One should also note that section 29 does not
refer to all universally accepted education rights.
Free and compulsory education does not form
part of the right to basic education, although
provision is made for compulsory education in
section 3(1) of the South African Schools Act.
There is also no explicit right to equal access to
educational institutions, but it can be assumed
that this right is absolutely and completely
enclosed and protected by section 9 of the
Constitution, which specifically deals with
equality [7].
As previously noted, that basic education is more
substantive in content than primary education,
the statement attributed to ChÜrr suggests that
there are laws guiding the implementation of
Section 29 according to which the government
has a legal right to check the admission of
learners that are qualified to benefit for a basic
education which might not be necessarily
compulsory and free to all. This conceptual
framework is relevant to this research because in
Cosmo City, while there are people that live
averagely, others live in luxury or surplus while
some live in poverty. It does suggest that the
functioning of the two public schools case-
studied in this research might need to work hand-
in-hand with the law and the government in its
admission policies and the screening of those
that qualified for full-government support or
bursaries to study.
This research is basically library research that
uses various pieces of literature some of which
gave estimates about the general public
responses in Cosmo City regarding their
knowledge about their rights to free basic
education. The Behaviorist-Associationist theory
is a view according to which information and
learning are obtained based on interactions
between the stimuli and observable responses.
The theory teaches that memory is aimed at
retaining all products of learning (Psychology of
Education, [n.d.]: 119). This research in most
cases is a study of how the public in Cosmo City
perceive and respond to the concept of free
basic education as pronounced in Section 29 of
the South African Constitution which guarantees
every South African the right to free basic
education. This is important because their
responses tend to influence their participation
and perception in connection with regard to their
views on the concept of basic education. Their
view might have been built consciously and
subconsciously in their memories over the years,
especially since 1994. This proposition is in
connection in clear terms with the behaviorist-
associationist theory because the theory
promotes the view according to which
perceptions influences behavior generated by
regular interactions with the environment.
It might be recalled that the behaviorist-
associationist theory is in connection with
learning. The theory promotes the view
according to which an individual’s exposure to a
situation or a scenario influences the future
behavior of the individual: “…the frequency with
which an organism has come into contact with Xs
and Ys in one’s environment determines the
frequency with which thoughts about Xs and
thoughts about Ys will arise together in the
organism’s future” (Stanford Encylopedia of
Philosophy, 2020:2). This suggests that the
current views of many ordinary South Africans in
Cosmo City regarding who is qualified and who is
not qualified for free basic education in public
schools might have been influenced by their
history and their laws as propounded in the
Constitution. The behavior of many residences in
South Africa is the interpretation according to
which basic education is free, equal, and
compulsory yet many South Africans believe that
public schools are not complying with this
constitutional order.
More so, the behaviorist-associationist theory is
a view according to which every behavior is
influenced by previous experience “…there were
no ideas in the mind that were not first given in
experience” (Stanford Encylopedia of
Philosophy, 2020:3). The experiences of many
South Africans and their understanding of their
rights to basic education suggests that the
government has not done enough to assist the
citizens in enjoying the benefits of their rights.
This research is also written with a consideration
that the government also needs to operate within
its means or within the scope of the availability of
its resources and with clarity in the definition of
section 29.

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In addition, a government cannot spend more
than its annual income and its conduct in the
implementation of every aspect of the law must
be reasonable [8]. The constitution made it clear
that the implementation of the right to basic
education can be progressive as a government
source for funds through reasonable means
(section 29 (1) b “to further education, which the
State, through reasonable measures, must make
progressively available and accessible”) [4]. In
other words, these researchers is aware
that the government cannot manage governance
out of the context of the availability of its
resources.
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Historically, Cosmo City was established around
the end of 2004 and people started to occupy the
place towards the end of 2005. The development
of Cosmo City was in response to the homeless
plights of informal settlers of Zevenfontein and
Riverbend. At present, neighboring locations or
squatter camps to Cosmo City are Siwawa and
Eskom stand. Jacqueline [9] noted that the
settlers of Zevenfontein and Riverbend were
illegally occupying a private land, about 25 km
North West of Johannesburg’s CBD before they
were relocated to Cosmo City [9]. Cosmo City
was established as a pilot project to integrate the
low-, middle- and high-income communities to
live together sharing the same social services
provided by the government [10].
Furthermore, Olumuyiwa [11] said that Cosmo
City is a mixed-income housing development
area that is made up of three different classes of
housing: fully subsidized houses and
finance/credit-linked and bonded housing. Most
of the dwellers in the fully subsidized houses are
households relocated from informal settlements
[11]. Today, there are many racial groups that
live in Cosmo City, but the city is dominated by
Black-African people. Many other African people
that live in Cosmo City are migrants from other
African countries mostly from Zimbabwea,
Nigeria, Mozambique, Somalia, Ethiopia,
Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania and Malawi.
Cosmo City is one of the most economically
buoyant cities in Randburg, Gauteng. Two public
schools are studied in this research and they are
Cosmo City High School and Sgodiphola
Secondary School. Both schools are located
about 1km away from each other and central to
this location is Cosmo City shopping Centre
which is one of the busiest shopping malls in
Randburg. Both schools are high schools
consisting of only grades 8 to 12 learners. As at
the time of filling of this research, Cosmo City
High school has a total of 1000 students with 23
teachers and 6 non-academic staff while
Sgodiphola Secondary School has a number of
1500 learners with 25 academic staff and 7 non-
academic staffers. The conclusions or
assumptions made in this research are based on
the responses of the interviewees presented in
this research. The research is designed in a way
that it compares the implementation of the policy
of free basic education to the realities on ground
in which public schools are struggling with the
perception of many parents over their
perspectives of the concepts of free basic
education.
This research is also quantitative research
because it involves the distribution of
questionnaires to parents of learners that
attended the two schools’ case-studied in this
research. Quantitative research deals with
numbers and statistics. It involves face-to-face
interaction between the interviewer and the
interviewee to establish the actual situation or
subject of research [12]. This is a type of
research whereby data or information are
collected and analyzed systematically and
statistically and where predictions could be made
using patterns or fixed figures. It is an empirical
investigation where observations are conducted
using statistical or mathematical or computational
methods. The outcomes or results or inferences
of the research could be categorized using
figures or empirical calibrations or numerical data
[13].
As noted in the theoretical framework of this
research (behaviorist-associationist), peoples’
responses to any concept or concept can affect
their behaviors towards the society. In this case,
there is a general view among many parents in
Cosmo City that the funding towards the basic
education of their children is the sole
responsibility of the government. I used a
questionnaire to determine the perceptions of
parents and the functioning of public schools in
the implementation of the policy of free basic

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Table 1. Responses from Cosmo City high school
Theme
Agreed
Strongly
Agreed
Disagreed
Strongly
Disagreed
Undecided
Percentage (%)
Total
Free basic education is for the less privilege
15
20
0
0
0
100
35%
Free basic education is for the rich
10
0
0
0
0
100
10%
Free basic education is free
20
20
0
0
0
100
40%
Free basic education is not free
0
0
20
20
0
100
40%
Parents are well-informed
5
0
0
0
0
100
5%
Principals struggle with admission
20
20
0
0
0
100
40%
Government provides all that is needed at schools
5
5
0
0
0
100
10%
Table 2. Responses from S’godiphola secondary school
Theme
Agreed
Strongly
Agreed
Disagreed
Strongly
Disagreed
Undecided
Percentage (%)
Total
Free basic education is for the less privilege
5
5
0
0
0
100
10%
Free basic education is for the rich
0
0
0
0
10
100
10%
Free basic education is free
20
20
0
0
0
100
40%
Free basic education is not free
0
0
20
20
0
100
40%
Parents are well-informed
0
0
0
20
0
100
20%
Principals struggle with admission
20
20
0
0
0
100
10%
Government provides all that is needed at schools
0
0
0
20
0
100
20%

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42
education in South Africa [14]. The research
involves the distribution of questionnaires to 50
parents from each of the two schools’ case-
studied. In total, 100 parents were interviewed
including two principals and two vice-principals
from each of the schools. Each of the themes
consists of 20 marks making a total of 100%. The
responses are accorded based on the
perceptions of the parents regarding the concept
of free basic education in South Africa likewise
the experiences of school administrators in
curbing with parents’ views over the subject of
studies and in curbing with admissions of
learners due to the effects of the policy on
education that pertained to free basic education.
Below is a report about the responses obtained
from the results of the interviews.
3. DISCUSSION
One of the purposes of this research is to
determine how the public perceive their
constitutional right with regard to the free basic
education for especially children and with a
consideration to the need for adult literacy. It also
to explore the functioning of schools in reality in
connection with free basic education policy. The
researchers questioned both parents and certain
school administrators in Cosmo City to obtain
their opinions on the implementation of the policy
on free basic education. About the 35% of the
parents interviewed in Cosmo City High school
believe that poor people are supposed to be the
major beneficiaries of the rights to free basic
education while 10% in Sgodiphola think the
same. Very few numbers (10%) of parents in
both schools think that free basic education is for
the rich. A very high percentage of about 40% of
those interviewed as parents’ belief that basic
education is free, they have little or no idea that
government pays for those services through
taxes and other government revenues. In other
words, whether government gets the resources
or not, it never bothered them.
The school administrators interviewed are of the
view that many parents have no idea that the
implementation of the policy on free basic
education has to be in tandem with government’s
income likewise government’s will. In Cosmo
High School, only 5% agreed that the struggle is
less while 40% of administrators in Sgodiphola
Secondary explained their frustration over
parents’ misconception about the right to free
basic education. More so, 40% of the
administrators in each of the schools claimed
that the number of students seeking admission is
often higher than expected especially among
African migrants that resides in Cosmo City. The
major reason behind the high number is the view
according to which education is free. Many
parents believe that they will not spend any
amount of money from their pockets for the
education of their children. They prefer to rather
take to schools as many children as they can
because they believe that education is free, and
the government must pay for every child’s basic
educational needs. About 10% of the
administrators in Cosmo City High school and
20% of administrators in Sgodiphola High school
stated that the government do not provide all that
are needed for secondary schools.
South Africa is indeed a very popular nation in
Africa and the world at large. This region of
Africa, on the southern tip of Africa is a fertile
land and produces mainly corn, wheat,
sugarcane, fruits, vegetables, beef, mutton, wool,
poultry and dairy products [15]. South Africa has
one of the best economies in Africa with a stock
exchange that ranks among the ten largest in the
world. It also has the best social infrastructures
particularly in major cities compared to other
African countries. The country is blessed with
mineral resources such as gold, chromium, coal,
iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphate, tin,
uranium, gem diamonds, copper, vanadium, salt,
natural gas and is one of the largest producers of
platinum in the world [15].
The natural and historical setting of South Africa
has enabled the nation to develop its tourism
sector to become one of the best in the world.
Leaders like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu,
Thabo Mbeki, and others who fought against
apartheid have contributed immensely to raise
the country’s name to international standard.
Hence South Africa is in position to hold world-
class events like the 2008 Miss World beauty
contest, and 2010 World Cup competition. The
beauty and the economic nature of South Africa
led many Africans to migrate to South Africa in
the search for better life. Research shows that in
Johannesburg where Cosmo City is located,
there are about 80% of migrants more than that
population of South Africans themselves [16].
In addition, a survey conducted by the South
African Migration Project (SAMP) from 1997-
2000 in South Africa and five other SADC
(Southern African Development Community)
states reveals that one out of every five South
Africans does not want any immigrants in South
Africa whether legal or illegal. Nearly 60% of
South Africans believe that immigrants weaken
the country’s economy and have contributed to

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increasing crime rate and poor educational
system. Between 1991 through 1995, more
South Africans especially white South Africans
called for stricter measures against entrance into
South Africa. SAMP’s survey also reveals that
85% of South Africans do not want foreigners or
immigrants to enjoy equal freedom of speech,
education and movement, and about 60%-65%
feel that foreigners should not enjoy equal police
protection and access to other basic services
with South Africans. However, 47% of South
Africans think the opposite, meaning they are
willing to appreciate the presence of foreigners in
South Africa [17].
The survey also reveals that 80% of South
Africans have little or no direct relationships or
contact with either people from SADC (Southern
African Development Commission) states or
other African peoples, but 64% of SADC states
citizens feel that South Africans are positive
towards them while 20% feel negative about their
experiences with South Africans. South African’
negative attitudes towards African immigrants
and refugees cuts across age, education,
gender, economics status, race and political
domains [17]. This type of reports affects the
search for education between South African
citizens and non-South Africans. It is not
surprising that in Cosmo City, the competition for
educational enrolment at schools is high and the
presence of many migrants in Cosmo City have
contributed to the debates on the concept of free
basic education in South Africa [18-20].
Furthermore, the reports obtained from this
research in Cosmo City also indicates that
parents in Cosmo City have high expectations
that the government will certainly meet the
educational needs of their children. It is likely that
the historical background of most of the parents
which includes poor or the absence of formal
education might have influenced their thoughts to
assume that education is actually free of charge.
The outcome of the research also suggests that
the government and educational authorities
including the Student Governing Body (SGB)
need to appoint certain persons that need to be
educating the people over the implementation
and orientation regarding the policy on free basic
education. Reports from questionnaires clearly
indicate that school authorities struggle with the
perspectives of many parents who are of the
view that education is free for all, and this has
often influenced the admission policies of many
public schools.
This discussion is derived from the reports of the
responses obtained from Cosmo City High and
from Sgodiphola High school. The report
indicates that the South African history in which
many black and poor people were segregated
and not allowed to live among white people
affected their perception of the meaning of free
basic education. There is seeming view that the
government must provide free basic education to
especially black South Africans including the
need for the government to provide other basic
needs of the children that pertained to the
provision of school uniforms, shoes, food, etc.
What many do not understand is that every
provision the government provides for is being
paid by tax payers which suggest that while the
government cares about all, they may not be
able to provide everything needed for education
for the poor South Africans. This is what
sometimes brings misconception between
contemporary black and white people in South
Africa where many whites feel like their taxes are
mainly used to cater for the black people. This is
discussion is beyond the scope of this research.
More so, it is important to note that while South
Africans many South Africans are struggling to
enroll their children in public schools, migrants
are also struggling to do same. This seemed to
create a contest for school enrolment between
the children of many poor South Africans and
those of African migrants that resides in South
Africa and especially in Cosmo City. One of the
points of contest is the view that migrants also
need to benefit for the constitutional right
according to which basic education in South is
free. This research is important because it
provides the background to the knowledge
according to which the interpretation of the
constitutional policy on free basic education is
not rightly understood by many South Africans
including migrants that resides in South Africa.
4. CONCLUSION
The research shows that most parents whose
children are in public schools are of the view that
it is the sole responsibility of the government to
provide free basic education to their children and
that this includes other necessities like
transportation, food, school uniforms and
compulsory admission or enrollment opportunity.
These researchers recommends that it is
important for the government to educate its
populace that every service offered by
government must be run within a budget frame
which suggest that while it is the constitutional

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44
right of every individual to be educated freely in
South Africa, government must also work within
its financial strength. This is why there are
certain problems generated among some
migrants in South Africa who also want their
children to be provided with free basic education.
The general public can play a great role in this
context by adhering to other obligations that
includes the prompt payment of taxes and careful
maintenance of government property so that
more money can be channeled to education.
This research has fulfilled its purpose because it
provides the public with more enlightenment on
the interaction and contestation between the
public constitutional rights to free basic education
and the government involvement in the
implementation of the policy. The case study of
Cosmo City suggests the general perception of
the interpretation and the implementation of the
policy in many poor communities around South
Africa. There are many migrants especially from
other African countries residing in South Africa.
The quest by many migrants to enroll their
children into schools in South Africa have
produced further difficulty in understand how the
policy on free basic education should be
interpreted. Cosmo City used to be a squatter
camp and it is now surrounded by few other
squatter camps in Honeydew, ESKOM and
Siwawa. It is important to note that this article
complied with all ethical standards without any
intention to hurt any group of people or their
belief systems. Those that were interviewed were
consulted pre-interviewed and they all agreed to
respond according to their various experiences.
Attached at the addendum of this research is the
letter of consent and the questionnaire used.
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in this article
are those of the authors and do not necessarily
reflect the official policy or position of any
affiliated agency of the authors.
CONSENT
As per international standard or university
standard, respondents’ written consent has been
collected and preserved by the author(s).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author would like to thank the School of
Religion, Philosophy and Classics, University of
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa for allowing one of
its Professor Emeritus Phillippe Denis to guide
me in the conduct of this research.
COMPETING INTERESTS
Authors have declared that no competing
interests exist.
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APPENDIX
Questionnaire
Research Topic: Exploring the state of South African schools regarding the Right to Free Basic
Education
Interviewee Information
Name/Surname………………………………………………………………….…… (optional)
Media-outfit…………………………………………………………………………… (optional)
Work………………………………………………………………..………………….. (optional)
Age……………………………………………………………………….………..…. (optional)
Gender……………………………………………………….…………………………(optional)
The period your children/ child have/has been in the same school.……………..(compulsory)
Section A: Parents Perception about Free Basic Education
Questions
1. Rights to free basic education means government must provide both teaching and study
materials free to all learners.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
2. Rights to free basic education means basic education is compulsory for all.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
3. Rights to free basic education is only for the poor and unprivileged South Africans.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
4. Rights to free basic education is also for rich South African.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
5. Do you think it is appropriate that the South African Constitution recognizes citizens right
to free basic education?
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided

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6. Parents are well-informed about their rights to free basic education.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
7. Parents are not well-informed about their rights to free basic education.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
8. Your children are aware that their educational cost is fully sponsored by the government.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
9. Have you benefitted on your constitutional right that your children are allowed to school at
any public secondary school for free?
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
Section B: Public School Responses to Free Basic Education
1. Parents are well-informed about their rights to free basic education.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
2. Parents are not well-informed about the rights of children to free basic education.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
3. The government has provided all that is needed to implement the policy of free basic
education.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided

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4. Many parents blame school authorities for not implementing the policy of free basic
education for children.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
5. The government is doing enough in educating the people about the rights of children to free
basic education?
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
6. Schools’ principals and SGB are doing enough to educate the people about government
policies on the rights of children to free basic education.
A. Agreed
B. Strongly Agreed
C. Disagreed
D. Strongly Disagreed
E. Undecided
_________________________________________________________________________________
© Copyright (2024): Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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