Cape Town safety fears force parents to seek former white-only schools

Fear for safety has driven a growing number of parents in Cape Town to enroll their children in formerly white-only schools, prompting concerns about a lack of integration.

The trend shows the continuing influence of racial segregation, which persists in various forms in South Africa more than 25 years after the end of apartheid.

Many parents feel that integrated schools in predominantly Black areas pose a safety risk to their children, prompting some to invest in private security for their children's journeys to and from school. Others have chosen to send their children to former white-only schools, which they perceive as safer.

The situation has educators and policymakers worried about the long-term impact of racial divides in the education system, and the potential emergence of segregated institutions compliant with the Constitutional mandate for a unified, non-racial future.

Continued segregation in education

The trend of private security underscores the widening wealth gap in South Africa and highlights the impact of the apartheid legacy on present-day perceptions of safety in differentially developed areas.

Some education experts point to successful integrated schools as a model for overcoming racial divisions, but changes to education policy are likely needed to truly transform the system and ensure equal access to quality education for all.