WCED faces scrutiny over discriminatory admission practices

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) in South Africa is facing scrutiny over its discriminatory admission practices, which have been deemed unconstitutional. Despite the Basic Education Portfolio Committee ordering changes to the admission policy, the WCED has been granted leave to appeal against a November 2025 court judgment finding the province's admission policy unconstitutional.

The national Basic Education Department found that schools in the Western Cape use exclusionary criteria such as academic performance, interviews, tests, scoresheets, proof of parental employment, and abridged birth certificates for learner admissions. These practices have been found to be unconstitutional and discriminatory, as they force children to compete for limited places rather than being admitted based on their individual circumstances.

Chief Director of Planning and Implementation Support James Ndlebe stated that schools have the authority to select learners based on their own criteria, which are often developed by the School Governing Bodies (SGBs). The WCED has not intervened in learner placements, leaving schools to implement their own admission policies, which often include unnecessary requirements like participation in sports, leadership roles, and photos.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube emphasized the importance of integrity and fairness in the education system, stating that unfair admission processes undermine public confidence and risk placing learner rights at risk. The department has proposed revamping admission policies to exclude certain selection criteria, including academic performance, parental employment proof, and birth certificates.

While the WCED conducted its own review of ten schools in 2025, all schools expressly prohibit unfair discrimination in their admission policies. However, Deputy Director-General Alan Meyer noted that principals and School Governing Bodies have not been engaged in the follow-up monitoring visits scheduled for May. WCED Deputy Director-General Alan Meyer emphasized that the WCED maintains active oversight of implementation to ensure admission outcomes do not unfairly disadvantage any group of learners, even though the school admission policies are legally compliant.