How South Africa Families Can Enroll at Enlightium Academy

Enlightium Academy is an approved private Christian school that is accredited by Cognia and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Enlightium has served homeschool, online, and co-op school students in K-12 since 2003. As K-12 education policies are different in each country, it is a parental responsibility to check on their country’s homeschool requirements and fulfill them as applicable. To assist parents with this process, Enlightium provides basic information about some country’s requirements. Parents are also encouraged to review their country’s requirements at hslda.org/legal/international and/or the South Africa National Department of Basic Education, as educational policies are subject to change over time.

Homeschooling is legal in many countries; however, with the freedom to educational opportunities comes a responsibility to understand and fulfill legal requirements. This can be worrisome, yet you’re not alone in this endeavor. Enlightium Academy is here to help! As you review your country’s homeschooling requirements, keep in mind that Enlightium Academy is a U.S.-based private Christian school accredited by Cognia and ACSI. This accreditation allows Enlightium to serve students worldwide and provides a high school diploma recognized nationally and internationally. For families living in countries that require an apostille to validate foreign educational records, Enlightium can help guide you through the apostille process should you choose to pursue official recognition of your student’s U.S. studies.

Please note that the resources below serve as a starting point for your family; it is important that you research South Africa’s homeschooling requirements.

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Homeschooling Options

For families living in South Africa and enrolling at Enlightium Academy, education takes place under South Africa’s home education framework. Parents of children of compulsory school-going age are responsible for educating their children at home and for meeting local home education registration requirements.

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South Africa’s Requirements at a Glance

Country Educational Funds = Unclear

Does the Parent Need to Notify the Country? = Yes

Academic Calendar Requirement = Yes

Subjects Required = Yes

Age Requirement = 7-15

Instructor Qualifications = Unclear

Standardized Assessment = Yes

Immunization Requirement = If starting school for the first time

Keep a Portfolio = Yes

Enlightium Parents App with Group for South African Families = Yes

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Country Educational Funds

There do not appear to be any educational funds in South Africa at this time.

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Notifying the Country

According to the South Africa National Department of Basic Education, parents must apply to register with provincial education departments. You can find the forms and steps at this link.

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Calendar Requirements

The South Africa National Department of Basic Education requires students to attend school for 196 days per year.

Enlightium’s school calendar has 180 school days (around 210 days with summer school). Additionally, students have access to the courses 24/7 for most days of the school year, including weekends and holidays. This 24/7 access will allow students to reach the required 196 days.

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Required Subjects

The South Africa National Department of Basic Education requires that the lessons you offer your child should fall within the scope of the compulsory phases of education: 

• Grades pre-kindergarten and kindergarten
  
  • There do not appear to be any course requirements by the South Africa National Department of Basic Education
  • Your student’s Enlightium counselor will guide your family in assigning courses
• Grades 1-3 (“Foundation Phase”)
  
  • Coding and Robotics
  • Home Language, First Additional Language, and Second Additional Language
  • Mathematics and Mathematics Grade R
  • Life Skills
• Grades 4-6 (“Intermediate Phase”)
  
  • Coding and Robotics
  • Home Language, First Additional Language, and Second Additional Language
  • Life Skills
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Sciences and Technology
  • Social Sciences
• Grades 7-9 (“Senior Phase”)
  
  • Coding and Robotics
  • Home Language, First Additional Language, and Second Additional Language
  • Creative Arts
  • Economics Management and Science
  • Life Orientation
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Science
  • Social Science
  • Technology
• Grades 10-12
  
  • There do not appear to be any course requirements by the South Africa National Department of Basic Education
  • Your student’s Enlightium counselor will guide your family in assigning courses

Please review each resource and connect with your Enlightium counselor to determine how the Enlightium team can assist with fulfilling each requirement.

After you enroll/re-enroll and before your student starts courses at Enlightium Academy, your student’s counselor will send you an email with a recommended course schedule consisting of core courses and, if applicable, courses that fulfill Enlightium’s graduation requirements. Your student can also select from Enlightium’s elective courses.

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Age Requirement

The South Africa National Department of Basic Education requires students to receive an education between the ages of seven years to 15 years.

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Immunization Requirement

The South Africa National Department of Basic Education requires some students to be immunized:

• If the child is starting school for the first time, an immunization card must be provided to the head of your Provincial Education Department when you register your child for Home Education.
• If the child is not starting school for the first time, instead of providing an immunization card, you provide the last copy of the child’s school report when you register your child for Home Education.

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Instructor Qualifications

The South Africa National Department of Basic Education does not appear to require the instructor to have any specific qualifications.

As a part of Enlightium Academy’s dual accreditation, Enlightium teachers are state and/or ACSI-certified. A number of our faculty members have Master's and Doctorate degrees in their fields.

Students in the Book-Based Program use book-based Christian curricula from AOP and BJU Press, while students in the Online Program use the digital Christian curriculum, “Ignitia” or Enlightium’s custom online curriculum (available to select grade levels). Finally, students in the Sapphire Live Program use a collection of the best curriculum options on the market. Each curriculum includes Bible, English, math, science, social studies, and elective courses. Click here to learn about the curriculum used at Enlightium Academy and to find the curriculum option that works best for your family.

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Standardized Assessment

The South Africa National Department of Basic Education requires your family to include in your portfolio evidence of an assessment or examination at the end of each year. Enlightium provides the following options per grade level:

• Grades PreK-8: IXL diagnostic assessments or Iowa Complete Annual Assessment; you can also opt out of an assessment
• Grades 9-12: Guidance for college-preparatory assessments such as the PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT

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Keep a Portfolio

After your child has been registered for Home Education, you must keep the following:

• A record of attendance / up-to-date records of the child’s progress - Enlightium provides your family with weekly progress reports. You can screenshot the details in these emails to show attendance.
• A portfolio of the child’s work / a portfolio of the educational support given to the child - Enlightium Academy counselors provide them during the enrollment/re-enrollment process based on the student’s grade level: primary school (PreK-2), elementary school (3-5), middle school (6-8), and high school (9-12).
• Evidence of the continuous assessment of the child’s work / evidence of the assessment and or examination at the end of each year / evidence at the end of grades 3, 6, and 9 showing whether your child has achieved the outcomes for these grades - Enlightium provides report cards for all students after quarters 1, 2, and 3 and report cards/transcripts at the end of the school year or summer, and also provides qualifying students with certificates for Honor Roll, Scholar’s List, Dean’s List, and the Presidential Award; additionally, you can provide occasional screenshots of test scores and/or standardized assessment scores. 

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Enlightium Parents App with Group for South African Families

Enlightium Academy has an app and desktop platform for families of currently enrolled students. Within this app is a group just for families living in South Africa to inform and support each other in fulfilling your country’s homeschooling requirements. 

Your family will be added to this group upon enrolling at Enlightium and downloading the Enlightium Parents app (which is provided upon enrollment).

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Ready to Enroll at Enlightium Academy?

1. Explore Enlightium Academy’s website or watch this video about online homeschooling.
2. If you have any questions:
   
   1. Chat with a team member
   2. Email consultants@enlightiumacademy.com
   3. Call (866) 488-4818 option 2
3. Ready to enroll? Click here to start the enrollment process, and select the blue button near the top of the page.

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Since 2003, Enlightium faculty and staff have served partner schools, hybrid, online, and book-based program K-12 students. With parental support, excellent instruction, and a personalized approach to learning, Enlightium equips students with the academic, spiritual, physical, social, and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288 or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.

We review country requirements and regulations annually; however, each country may update its guidelines more frequently. If you have additional questions, please contact your country’s department of education.

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Sources reviewed in December 2025:

• https://hslda.org/post/South-Africa  
• https://www.education.gov.za/Programmes/HomeEducation.aspx 
• https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/act84of1996.pdf