Teachers in KZN have engaged in a ‘work-to-rule’ action in protest against the provincial Department of Education’s failure to disburse essential funds. (Photo: Gallo Images / Darren Stewart) 
Learners across KwaZulu-Natal were caught in the crossfire of a funding crisis that left schools without basic operational resources during the critical exam period. While not officially on strike, teachers have engaged in a “work-to-rule” campaign in protest against the provincial Department of Education’s failure to disburse essential financial allocations.
Nomarashiya Caluza, the provincial secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in KwaZulu-Natal, told Daily Maverick that there was no strike under way, but that teachers had engaged in a “work-to-rule” action.
“This is not a strike. Work-to-rule means teachers report for duty and perform only the tasks they are paid for, nothing more, nothing less,” she said.
Caluza explained that the action was triggered by the department’s failure to provide schools, particularly no-fee-paying ones, with their basic financial allocations, known as “norms and standards”. She said the department had cited national budget cuts as the reason for the delays, which left schools unable to cover essential costs such as textbooks, stationery, printing, and day-to-day operations.
“Even officials at the provincial level are unable to attend meetings or workshops due to lack of funds. We’ve reached a point where principals are using their own salaries to keep schools running, and that’s not sustainable,” said Caluza.
Learners left behind
While provincial leaders and union officials attempted to navigate the funding shortfall, learners, especially those in Grade 12, were bearing the heaviest burden.
Amanda Hlatswayo, a matric learner, expressed deep concern over what she described as a “significant disruption” to teaching and learning. With university application deadlines looming, she fears that the ongoing work-to-rule action and delays in resource delivery have already placed them at a serious disadvantage.
“This strike has had a profound impact on our academic progress, leaving us far behind in our work. With university application deadlines looming and our future academic prospects hanging in the balance, the situation is becoming increasingly dire,” she said.
Hlatswayo said she and her peers were under immense pressure to complete the curriculum in time, but the continued disruption meant they were falling behind when compared with learners in other provinces who were progressing without interruption.
“This disparity is not only unfair but also threatens our chances of securing spots at universities, which is crucial for our future success. The government often emphasises the importance of education as a key to success. However, the current strike is depriving us of the education we need to achieve our goals,” she said.
Hlatswayo called on officials to act with urgency to address teachers’ concerns and resolve the “strike” as soon as possible so that students could catch up on their studies. She stressed that she was speaking not only for herself, but for thousands of learners across KwaZulu-Natal who were watching their futures become increasingly uncertain.
“We want to learn, grow, and succeed, but without the necessary support and resolution to this strike, our future prospects are being compromised. We’re counting on your leadership to ensure that our education is prioritised and that we’re given the opportunity to succeed,” she said.
On whether the work-to-rule action had affected teaching and learning, Caluza maintained that the core teaching hours were unaffected.
“It hasn’t impacted teaching time. Teachers are still working the standard seven-hour day. The real issue emerged during exam time because schools didn’t have basic resources like paper, printers, or photocopiers. As a result, many schools couldn’t administer exams,” she said.
Premier promises relief
The province’s education system has long been plagued by financial challenges. During a parliamentary meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in February, it was revealed that the department is grappling with a severe financial crisis. More than 80% of its R65-billion budget is consumed by salary payments, leaving limited funds for essential school services and infrastructure projects.
The department informed the committee that ongoing budget cuts since the 2021/2022 financial year had forced the elimination of 4,231 posts, resulting in 8,690 vacancies as of December 2024. The department also acknowledged its failure to meet contractual obligations with service providers, difficulties in covering subsistence and travel allowances for school monitoring, and challenges in supplying adequate learning materials. Additionally, many schools had experienced delays in receiving their financial transfers due to ongoing cash flow constraints.
Despite repeated calls for intervention, Caluza said the department had failed to act, prompting Sadtu to formally request a meeting with the premier of the province, Thamsanqa Ntuli. This meeting, which took place on 12 June 2025, was described by the union as “progressive” and constructive.
“It provided us with an opportunity to present the funding challenges directly. The premier acknowledged our concerns and said the presentation gave him a broader understanding of the crisis,” Caluza said.
The meeting resulted in several commitments:
- The premier pledged, in collaboration with the provincial finance department, to ensure that all outstanding allocations, including those from 2024 and May 2025, are paid within two weeks.
- R900-million will be sourced from other departments to stabilise the education department in the interim.
- The government will also revisit the issue of appointing office-based educators and other critical posts.
- A follow-up meeting will be held to assess progress on these commitments.
Caluza said the union’s provincial executive committee also met with the education department and requested additional details on how many schools were unable to hold exams due to a lack of resources, and asked the department to develop a plan to support those schools.
New exam dates
A revised exam schedule issued on Tuesday by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education indicated that Grade 10 to 12 learners are set to begin their June examinations on Wednesday 18 June, while Grade 4 to 9 learners will write their mid-year assessments between 28 July and 8 August.
According to the circular signed by department head Nkosinathi Ngcobo, Grade 10 to 12 learners at schools that achieved an overall pass rate of 85% or lower in the 2024 National Senior Certificate exams are required to sit for common assessments across various subjects.
Schools with pass rates above 85% that have voluntarily opted to take part in the common testing programme are also expected to follow the revised schedule. These standardised tests will continue until 29 July, and all marks must be submitted to the examinations directorate by 15 August to support planning for targeted academic interventions.
The mid-year exams for Grade 4 to 9 are scheduled to conclude on 8 August, with all marking to be completed by 15 August. The circular also stated that schools that had already conducted their mid-year assessments were not required to follow the revised timetable.
In response to questions from Daily Maverick about how confident the department is that all pupils will be able to complete their examinations by the deadlines, Muzi Mahlambi, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson, said: “They are writing as we speak. Secondly, many schools have completed.” DM