Cape Town – Build One South Africa (BOSA) has launched a Schools Complaints Hotline aimed at addressing ongoing challenges affecting learners, parents and teachers across South Africa.
Spokesperson for BOSA Roger Solomons said in a statement that the hotline was introduced as frustration grows over learners still waiting for school placements weeks into the academic year.
Solomons said, “It is unjustifiable that two weeks into the 2026 academic year, there are still learners across South Africa who have not been placed in a school. These young people should be in classrooms today, but instead remain stuck in administrative backlogs and uncertainty.”
As reported by The Citizen, the initiative forms part of efforts to create a direct channel for complaints from communities experiencing education system failures, including placement delays and infrastructure challenges.
The statement further highlighted daily struggles faced by those already inside the system.
Solomons said, “Parents, learners, and teachers who are inside the system face daily barriers that make learning harder than it should be, often with nowhere meaningful to turn as bureaucracy blocks their voices.”
BOSA said the Schools Complaints Hotline which operates through email is designed to ensure problems are recorded and escalated quickly. Solomons said, “The Schools Complaints Hotline serves as a vital tool to promptly address any issues that may arise during the opening days of schools, and throughout the year.”
‼️Attention South Africa‼️
We are launching a national schools hotline.
It is unjustifiable that two weeks into the 2026 academic year, there are still learners who have not been placed in a school.
Learners, and teachers inside the system are facing daily obstacles with… pic.twitter.com/XbJrEPV25t
— Mmusi Maimane MP (@MmusiMaimane) January 28, 2026
The party said issues expected to be reported include water and sanitation problems, textbook shortages, placement delays and infrastructure failures.
The statement also said complaints submitted through the platform would be escalated to government structures. Solomons said, “All concerns raised through the hotline will be diligently compiled and presented to the Minister of Basic Education, as well as to Parliament’s Basic Education Portfolio Committee for urgent attention and resolution.”
BOSA also used the statement to highlight broader concerns about education quality and spending. The party said despite an annual education budget exceeding R300 billion, major challenges remain, including overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure and teacher qualification concerns.
The party reiterated calls for reforms, including scrapping the current 30% pass mark and replacing it with a minimum of 50% across all subjects, alongside establishing an independent education ombudsman and improving teacher support.
Solomons said the organisation believes urgent reform is needed to ensure every learner has a fair opportunity. “By gathering firsthand feedback through the Schools Complaints Hotline, we aim to advocate for necessary improvements swiftly,” he said.
BOSA said it remains committed to pushing for long-term reforms while addressing immediate challenges affecting learners across South Africa.
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Picture: Facebook/ Mmusi Maimane
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
