What kind of problems are schools facing in terms of admitting undocumented children?

Schools – or school principals – can face severe government fines if they are found enrolling students who lack proper documentation, so many principals can be wary of admitting non-South African students. However, schools may not discriminate based on documentation status in an applicant’s admission. Furthermore, if a student is not admitted to a school, a written explanation for the refusal must be provided and parents have the right to appeal this decision according to the Schools Act.⁶ Some schools may request additional fees or previous transcripts to admit a non-South African student – this is unlawful. If you are told this by the school, please contact one of the organisations listed here.