January 2025 – Brain strain: Thousands of SA schools still without libraries, laboratories and computer centres – Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) “A total of 16 648 out of the 22 511 public schools in South Africa have no libraries while 18 551 have no laboratories and 14 839 no computer centres. The Equal Education Law Centre says its unacceptable that most schools in SA lack the basic resources to allow pupils to thrive academically.”
August 2024 – READ AN ARTICLE HERE about “Accessible chemistry: the success of small-scale laboratory kits in South Africa“
October 2023 – Only 3,926 or 17.4% of the country’s 22,597 public schools have science laboratories – TimesLive
April 2023 – About 20 000 SA schools have no laboratories – IOL Article
2014 – READ: PEER-REVIEWED VALIDATION: AJCE 2014 Ethiopia study confirmed significant achievement gains
May 2012 – READ REPORT HERE about Mylab Chemistry & Natural Science Kits by SCI-BONO after a recent Presentation in Johannesburg
Mylab Chemistry & Natural Science Kits won first prize at:
March 2012 – An article about the school crisis appeared in a local newspaper – Volksblad
March 2012 – Only 15% of public schools have laboratories – South African Institute of Race Relations
March 2012 – This article appeared in a local newspaper on and it highlights the need for school laboratory equipment.
English Translation:
SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE THE AMENITIES
The number of schools with science laboratories dropped sharply between 2006 and last year. According to the South Africa Survey Report of the South African Institute of Race Relations there was a 35% decrease in schools with laboratories. The largest decrease was in Gauteng (76% to 40%).
According to Mr. Jonathan Snyman, a researcher at the institute, only 3 772 from almost 24 000 public schools had laboratories last year. He said it raises serious questions about why it happened.
He referred to Ms Angie Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education’s announcement of a national strategy aimed to improve results in mathematics, science and technology and more attention for the training of teachers.
“It’s good and well for teachers to improve their training, but they can do little if they do not have well-equipped laboratories” said Snyman.
