When Education and Ethics Collide

When Education and Ethics Collide: The Profit Problem in South Africa’s Private Schooling

Education is a calling – or at least it was once. 

Today, it’s often an industry, especially in South Africa, where private schooling has seen massive growth in the past two decades. 

The promise? Higher standards, individualised attention, and a better learning environment.

The reality? Not always so glamorous.

Increasingly, private education companies are emerging that prioritise profit over the

values they purport to champion, creating a concerning collision of ethics and business goals.

The Rise of Corporate Education Giants

In South Africa, private education companies are booming, presenting themselves as saviours of a

troubled public education system. They offer polished campuses, brand-name uniforms, and state-

of-the-art facilities. 

Parents, understandably frustrated with overcrowded and underfunded public

schools, see these offerings as a lifeline, a chance for their children to get a quality education and a

solid future.

But behind this glittering façade lies a different reality. Certain of these corporate education

companies are run by big players who view education less as a public good and more as a lucrative

investment. 

Schools are treated as assets, children as customers, and educators as, essentially,

“content delivery specialists.” The aim is not necessarily to uplift South African society but to

maximize shareholder returns.

Profit over Pedagogy

A school should be a place of learning, growth, and holistic development, but in many corporate-

owned private schools, this mission seems secondary to profit margins. 

From Grade R all the way to matric, students become part of a system where fees are sky-high, but the actual educational investment can be alarmingly low. Corporate chains often prioritise cost-cutting measures, resulting in less-than-ideal class sizes, under-resourced classrooms, and standardised curriculums that leave little room for creativity or individualised learning.

When you prioritise profit, the subtle but crucial elements of good education start to fade. 

Teachers, for example, may face pressure to perform, not in terms of cultivating minds but in pushing students through a standard process that can be measured in neat, financially pleasing metrics that promote the crucial marketing tool of a 100% Matric pass rate. 

Educators in these environments are often overworked, with workloads that discourage thoughtful lesson planning or meaningful student engagement. The pursuit of profit ultimately discourages the depth, flexibility, and empathy that are critical to effective teaching.

Exam Factories and Performance Pressure

The ethos of these corporate schools often mirrors that of a business, with numbers and

performance indicators taking precedence. This has turned many private institutions into high-

pressure exam factories, where academic success is less about genuine learning and more about

reaching an acceptable average that makes the school look good on paper.

But when education becomes about numbers, we lose the essence of teaching – helping young

people become well-rounded, thoughtful, and engaged members of society.

Students are drilled for tests, encouraged to memorise rather than understand, and subtly pressured to meet performance metrics that serve the school’s reputation rather than their personal growth. In the worst cases, students who struggle are marginalised or pressured out, not because they’re incapable but because they don’t fit the glossy brand image that corporate schools wish to maintain.

The Cost to Families and Society

Private schooling is a significant expense for most South African families, with many parents making

personal and financial sacrifices to afford the high fees. The understanding is that this financial

stretch will pay off – that by spending more on education, parents are securing a brighter future for

their children. But when private schools put profit first, parents’ sacrifices are not always met with

the quality of education they were promised.

Moreover, this model not only hurts individual students; it has broader social implications. By

pushing a for-profit model, corporate education companies create a two-tier system in South Africa,

one where only the wealthy have access to premium facilities and resources, while the rest are left

with an increasingly overburdened public system. 

This divide entrenches inequality and contributes to a society where opportunity is limited by one’s ability to pay. And in the end, this fragmented system fails everyone, as the society we build will always be a reflection of how well (or poorly) we educate our youth.

Is There a Way Forward?

It’s easy to point fingers, but what’s needed is a solution – a genuine commitment to putting

students, not shareholders, at the centre of education.

This might mean that corporate schools adopt transparent, ethical practices where profits are reinvested into meaningful improvements, like lower class sizes, meaningful curriculum delivery, professional development for teachers, or expanded support services for students.

Education is about creating future citizens, not customers, and it’s time that corporate education

companies are held accountable to this standard. They should be encouraged – perhaps even

required – to reinvest profits into enriching their curricula, providing mental health and career

counselling, and supporting the communities they serve.

And on a regulatory level, it’s time for South African education policy to hold private institutions accountable for the promises they make and the futures they’re shaping.

The Choice for Parents

For South African parents, the decision to send children to a private school is a serious one, often

made with the best of intentions and enormous personal sacrifice. 

But it’s crucial to look beyond the shiny brochures and sleek marketing. As tempting as the private option may be, parents should dig deeper into what the school truly values. 

Is it an institution that treats its students and teachers as valuable members of a learning community, or is it merely a well-branded franchise aimed at maximizing profit?

South Africa deserves schools that prioritise student growth and development over a balance sheet.

As parents and educators, we have a right to demand a higher standard, one where private

education doesn’t mean sacrificing ethics for business but rather enriching young minds in ways that

benefit them – and society – in the long run.

After all, a school should be more than just a business. It should be a place where learning, ethics,

and values converge, building a stronger future for all of us.