The Gauteng education department failed to keep the promises it made to the Constitutional Court on how much it would spend on new building new schools missing its own target of R1.7 billion by a whopping R1.3 billion. That's the finding of a damning new research report released on the eve of the province's pupils returning to classes for another school year. It raises the spectre of many of them again failing to find a place at their chosen schools or enduring overcrowded conditions. This week MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi admitted that 58 000 pupils did not have places in Grade 1 and Grade 8 schools starting Wednesday‚ up from 20 000 at the beginning of 2016.

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