What happened?
In 2025, the Department of Basic Education partnered with McDonald’s and Old Mutual/MiDesk Global to provide portable fold-out desks that double as backpacks for Grade 1 learners.
Why it sparked backlash
- Marketing to kids: The desks carried McDonald’s branding, effectively turning classrooms and children into mobile billboards for junk food. Critics argued that this normalised fast-food marketing in schools, already battling child obesity.
- Impracticality: The desks were bulky and heavy—sometimes the same size as the children—raising safety and health concerns about back strain and injuries.
- Systemic failure: Instead of addressing the root problem (lack of proper desks and infrastructure), the government leaned on corporate donations, leaving poor schools most exposed to corporate influence.
