The Gauteng Education Department’s 2023 Grade 1 and 8 Online Admissions system has recorded the highest number of submitted applications since its inception in 2016.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi made a presentation to the media at Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria on the placement process for the 2023 Grade 1 and 8 Online Admissions in Gauteng yesterday (Sun).
Lesufi said that although the system experienced challenges within the first few minutes of switching on in July, at the end of the application, the system recorded the highest number of submitted applications since its inception in 2016.
According to the Gauteng Education Department (GDE), a total of 764 062 applications were submitted and processed for both Grade 1 (330 227) and 8 (457 433) and GDE have 332 477 learners to place (Grade 1: 157 697 and Grade 8: 174 780).
“This success can be attributed to system improvements over the years, which is necessitated by continuous stakeholder engagements,” the MEC said.
From today (Mon), parents and guardians will be sent SMSes with placement offers and SMSes will be sent out on a continual basis until the end of the placement period on November 30.
“If you didn’t get an SMS tomorrow or this week, don’t panic. We are releasing them in batches everyday until we have managed to conclude this process,” Lesufi assured parents and guardians.
In the event that an SMS states that a child has been placed, the department said this will be regarded as successful placement and there will be no need for a parent/guardian to access the system to accept an offer.
GDE encouraged parents to interact with its call centre agents on 0800 000 789 or WhatsApp us on 060 891 0361, in the event that they forgot or lost their system credentials.
The department further announced the identified about 275 primary schools and 221 secondary schools that received an overwhelming number of applications which exceeds the capacity of learners that they can afford to accommodate.
The Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni high-pressure primary schools in the top 10 list include Palmridge Primary School in Germiston, Lakeside Primary School in Boksburg, Alston Primary School in Germiston, Stoneridge Primary School in Alberton, Selcourt Primary School in Springs, Opelweg Primary School in Alberton, and Alberview Primary School in Alberton.
The Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni high-pressure secondary schools in the top 10 list include Alberton High School in Alberton, Parktown Boys' High School in Parktown, Phumlani Secondary School in Germiston, Sir John Adamson High School in Johannesburg South, Hoërskool President in Johannesburg South, Boksburg High School in Boksburg, Jeppe High School For Boys in Kensington and Northcliff High School in Johannesburg South.
According to the GDE, the placement criteria starts with home address within the school’s feeder zone, then siblings or previous school, work address within school’s feeder zone, home address within 30km radius and lastly home address beyond 30km radius.
“In order to assist high pressure schools to accommodate more learners, we will augment classroom shortages and enhance space by providing schools with mobile units and transferring funds to schools for self-build classroom projects,” the MEC said.
He said this process will avail about 599 additional classrooms to primary Schools and 698 additional classrooms to secondary schools.
“With online registration, parents have a right to appeal. You can object if your child has been placed in a school you don’t want but remember, we didn’t thumb-suck the school, you applied for the school. If we can’t accommodate your child, you can appeal to the HOD or appeal to me,” Lesufi.
The MEC added that late registrations for parents who applied are going to be from December 1 to 15, depending on available spaces left in schools.
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