The department of education in Gauteng has received 332 377 applications for both grade 1 and 8, MEC Matome Chiloane said while providing an update on the 2023 placements.
Speaking at Parktown Boys High School in Johannesburg on Sunday, Chiloane said of these, 157 697 were received for grade 1 and 174 780 for grade 8, noting that the department has placed 256 248 learners so far.
“Parents will be worried now, but we are working around the clock to ensure that we get all the learners placed. The department has 5 485 applicants who received offers of placement but have not accepted these offers, and are blocking the system,” he said, adding that parents should accept one of the places offered in order to free up the system.
Chiloane said the system will auto-place all the learners with offers issued but not accepted by Wednesday. “When we place your child in any one of those schools, we are complying with what you have said to us, that you are comfortable with any of these three or four schools.
“You’ll find that with some parents, there’s an assumption that it’s just a compliance process. It’s not a compliance process, it is a process that says to us that your child can go to either of those schools.”
High-pressure areas have been identified, where schools received an overwhelming number of applicants. These include 313 primary schools and 234 secondary schools.
“In order to assist high-pressure schools to accommodate more learners, we will augment classroom shortages and enhance space by providing schools will mobile units and transferring funds to schools for self-build classroom projects,” Chiloane said, adding that the process will avail about 599 additional classrooms for primary schools and 698 for secondary schools.
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