From macaroni to beans and even toiletries like detergents, alongside four reams of copy paper, school stationery lists are sparking outrage among South African parents.
The mounting frustration has led to widespread criticism of what many see as unreasonable demands, prompting calls for Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube to respond.
On the social media app X (formerly Twitter), a comment from user Seba_M gained traction after she highlighted a requirement for a Grade 2 learner to bring beans and macaroni to school.
Speaking to Weekend Argus, Seba explained that the list had been sent to her by a friend after she mentioned preparing for the stationery rush.
"So basically, the minister posted a picture of herself on vacation. I went onto the post and saw another disgruntled parent also asking her why cleaning detergents were on her child's stationery list. So, I just asked the minister why these things must be sent," said Seba.
Although she had not received a response from the minister, Seba discovered that macaroni and beans were intended for use in counting exercises.
"It makes sense, but for many families, these are staples—food for them to eat," she added.
Parents of learners at no-fee schools in the Western Cape have also questioned why they are being asked to supply stationery items amounting to nearly R800, including four reams of copy paper.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) responded, explaining that requests for contributions are intended to offset operational costs.
According to spokesperson Kerry Mauchline, schools like Eikendal Primary asked for these contributions to cover the entire school year, allowing school fees to remain low while supplementing the stationery supply themselves.
She, however, explained the procedure at no-fee schools.
"No-fee schools receive norms and standards funding to provide stationery to their learners. Schools may request that parents contribute to their children’s stationery list, but at no-fee schools, this must be voluntary," Mauchline clarified.
"If parents are concerned about any contribution they are being asked to make at a no-fee school, we urge them to have a discussion with the school to clarify that it is voluntary, or report the matter to their education district office. These issues often arise from misunderstandings about requests for voluntary contributions."
Mauchline also explained that funding for no-fee schools is allocated to cover various expenses, including maintenance, Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM), and operational costs. She detailed that the 2024 norms and standards funding allocation per learner is as follows: No-fee schools: R1,754; Fee-paying schools in Quintile 4: R878 Fee-paying schools in Quintile 5: R303
Vanessa Le Roux, founder of Parents for Equal Education South Africa (PEESA), expressed skepticism about how funds for no-fee schools are being managed. She questioned why schools continue to ask parents to buy items already covered by state funding.
"In no-fee schools, the WCED supplies books and all the necessary materials. Yet, we see parents being asked to buy stationery items, which should not happen," said Le Roux. "The critical question is, where is the money going? How is it being used?"
Le Roux pointed out that these schools are meant to ease the financial burden on poor families, with funding intended to eliminate such extra costs. She called for greater accountability and transparency, particularly around how these funds are spent.
The Equal Education Law Centre echoed their concerns, noting that learners are often excluded from school for failing to meet excessive stationery or financial demands.
They highlighted that such practices are prohibited under the South African Schools Act, which bars public schools from excluding learners or demanding donations.