Pretoria - After opening the Gauteng online registration application for Grade 1 and 8 on Friday, the online admissions system experienced a challenge with Google Maps after it reached a maximum of 6000 requests per minute.
The system was temporarily restricted by Google Maps, which resulted in parents not being able to view and select schools when applying.
“Subsequently, this challenge was effectively resolved within 30 minutes after the system opened at 8am, and parents were able to proceed with their applications,” said Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona.
Mabona said over 165 000 Grade 1 & 8 applications were successfully processed by the department.
“We sincerely apologise to parents and guardians for the inconvenience they encountered when our system opened for applications. We thank our technicians for swiftly resolving the matter, which has led us to processing a massive amount of successful applications on the very first day,” said MEC of Gauteng Education Panyaza Lesufi.
The 2023 Online Admissions application period will continue until 19 August 2022.
The department has encouraged parents and guardians to either upload the certified copies of the required documents onto our system or submit them at the schools they applied to within seven school days.
“Parents are also encouraged to visit our District Offices and Decentralised Walk-in Centres to be assisted with applying. For further assistance, applicants can call the GDE’s Contact Centre on 0800 000 789 or send a message on our WhatsApp 060 891 0361,” Mabona said.
In the past, parents complained that the system failed to provide options for applicationS in certain schools.
As a result, there was a concern from parents that distance learners would need to travel if they had not been placed in schools near their home, which will also increase the learner’s travelling time and transport costs.
However, this year, the department said that all schools would remain open for applications for all during the application period.
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