Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Education South Africa
General
What is Education South Africa?
Education South Africa is a comprehensive database of schools across South Africa. We help parents find and compare schools based on location, fees, facilities, academic performance, and more.
Is this service free to use?
Yes! Browsing schools, viewing details, and using our search and filter tools is completely free for parents and students.
How current is your school information?
We regularly update our database with information from the Department of Basic Education and school submissions. Learner numbers and pass rates are updated annually, while fees and contact details are updated as schools provide them.
Search & Filters
How do I search for schools?
Use the search bar on the homepage to search by school name, suburb, or city. You can also filter results by distance, phase (primary/high school), sector (public/private), pass rates, and student numbers. After applying filters, you can sort by cost, distance, or school size.
What does 'sort by distance' do?
When you sort by distance, we'll request your location and show schools nearest to you. You can also search by any location to see schools in that area.
What's the difference between public and private schools?
Public schools are government-funded and follow the national curriculum. Private/independent schools are independently run, often with different curricula (IEB or Cambridge), smaller class sizes, and higher fees.
School Information
What information is available for each school?
Each school profile includes location, contact details, phase, sector, student numbers, fees (where available), pass rates, extramural activities, photos, and more.
Why don't some schools show fees?
Not all schools publicly disclose their fees. We're continuously working to add this information. If you represent a school, please contact us with your fee details so we can update it.
What does 'pass rate' mean?
The pass rate shows the percentage of Grade 12 students who passed their final exams.
What are "Distinctions per Matric"?
It’s the total number of distinctions achieved by the matric group divided by the number of candidates who wrote the exams. Since many schools achieve a 100% pass rate, this is a better way to compare academic performance.
Account Features
Do I need an account to use the site?
No, you can browse and search schools without an account. However, creating an account lets you save favourite schools and compare them side-by-side.
How do I save schools to my favourites?
After signing in, click the heart icon on any school card or profile page to add it to your favourites list.
How do I compare schools?
Save schools to your favourites, then click the 'Compare' button in the header to view a side-by-side comparison of fees, pass rates, facilities, and more.
For Schools
How can I claim my school's profile?
We haven't set up this feature yet, but it's coming soon.
Will there be a vacancies section to post available positions?
Yes! We're working on this feature and look forward to helping schools find the perfect staff.
Can I request corrections to my school’s profile?
Absolutely. Please contact us if you notice anything incorrect. We take data accuracy very seriously.