When the Streets Burn, the Classrooms Empty: The Educational Costs of Service Delivery Protests in South African Schools

Abstract

Service delivery protests have become a prominent feature of South Africa’s socio-political landscape, particularly in townships and informal settlements where access to municipal services remains inadequate. Although these protests represent a form of civic engagement, they can also disrupt the functioning of schools and the continuity of education. This study examines the educational costs of service delivery protests, focusing on teacher absenteeism, learning disruptions, assessment delays, and institutional vulnerability. A desktop review approach was employed, drawing on peer-reviewed articles, government and non-governmental organisation (NGO) reports, and relevant media sources. The data were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s framework. Five interconnected themes emerged: mobility barriers, teacher absenteeism, assessment disruption, institutional vulnerability, and coping and resilience strategies. The study adopts the political economy of public services as its theoretical framework to explain how educational disruption is connected to governance deficits, accountability failures, and socioeconomic inequalities. Comparative evidence from Brazil, India, the Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana provides an international perspective while highlighting the specific vulnerabilities of South African schools. The findings indicate that the effects of protests are particularly significant for marginalised learners who depend on walking or public transportation and have limited access to digital learning alternatives. The study highlights the need for school-level contingency planning, improved attendance management, flexible assessment arrangements, expanded access to digital learning, and stronger coordination between municipal and educational authorities. It concludes that protecting the right to education requires both institutional resilience and systemic governance reforms that address the structural conditions underlying recurring service delivery protests.