Anti-migrant unrest in South Africa is forcing thousands of Zimbabwean families to flee, abruptly disrupting their children’s education. Uprooted mid-year, these learners face severe academic setbacks.
Thousands of school-going children from Zimbabwean families are being withdrawn from South African schools due to anti-migrant unrest, according to the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit Coordinating Committee. Edward Muchatuta, national coordinator, estimated that the number of children affected was in the thousands.
The disruption is most troubling for the matric class of 2026, with many Grade 12 learners already registered to write their final National Senior Certificate examinations in November. Muchatuta said a mid-year curriculum pivot was totally impossible.
Jessie, a Zimbabwean who has lived and worked in South Africa for 17 years, said her oldest son would not be able to write his matric this year. She added that her younger son in Grade 5 would have to repeat the year after waiting seven months.
The committee has appealed to the education departments of both countries to allow affected learners to continue with the South African syllabus within Zimbabwe and to establish joint examination centres.
