page_title: Education in South Africa
hierarchical_section_title: Education in South Africa
caption_attribution_description: School children at Imperial Primary School in Eastridge, Mitchell's Plain (Cape Town, South Africa).
context_page_description: Education in South Africa is governed by two national departments, namely the department of Basic Education, which is responsible for primary and secondary schools, and the department of Higher Education and Training, which is responsible for tertiary education and vocational training. Prior to 2009, these two departments were represented in a single Department of Education.
  The DBE department deals with public schools, private schools, early childhood development centres, and special needs schools. The public schools and private schools are collectively known as ordinary schools, and comprise roughly 97% of schools in South Africa.
  The DHET department deals with further education and training colleges now known as Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges, adult basic education and training centres, and higher education institutions.
  The nine provinces in South Africa also have their own education departments that are responsible for implementing the policies of the national department, as well as dealing with local issues.
  In 2010, the basic education system comprised 12 644 208 learners, 30 586 schools, and 439 394 teachers.
context_section_description: Education in South Africa is governed by two national departments, namely the department of Basic Education (DBE), which is responsible for primary and secondary schools, and the department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), which is responsible for tertiary education and vocational training. Prior to 2009, these two departments were represented in a single Department of Education.
  The DBE department deals with public schools, private schools (also referred to by the department as independent schools), early childhood development (ECD) centres, and special needs schools.  The public schools and private schools are collectively known as ordinary schools, and comprise roughly 97% of schools in South Africa.
  The DHET department deals with further education and training (FET) colleges now known as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, adult basic education and training (ABET) centres, and higher education (HE) institutions.
  The nine provinces in South Africa also have their own education departments that are responsible for implementing the policies of the national department, as well as dealing with local issues.
  In 2010, the basic education system comprised 12 644 208 learners, 30 586 schools, and 439 394 teachers. In 2009, the higher education and training system comprised 837 779 students in HE institutions, 420 475 students in state-controlled FET institutions and 297 900 in state-controlled ABET centres.
  In 2013, the South African government spent 21% of the national budget on education. Some ten percent of the education budget is for higher education.
caption: School children in Cape Town
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