The department of education in Gauteng has confirmed that over 220 000 applicants have received placement offers for the 2024 academic year.
The placement period for grade one and eight learners began on Monday, and the department has urged applicants that offers must be accepted within seven days.
“Over 90 000 applicants have accepted placement offers as final from one school applied to, while 1 662 accepted placement offers while awaiting further offers,” said the department on Tuesday.
It also said more than 120 000 parents have not responded to placement offers.
“Parents are reminded to accept offers within seven school days,” the department said.
“Offers not [accepted] within seven school days will be auto-accepted at the school with a placement offer closest to the parents’ home address.”
It said it will continue to send out SMSs until the end of 2023 or until all children have been placed in schools.
“Not all applicants will receive an SMS on the first day of the placement period, but applicants can expect an SMS anytime from 4 September throughout the year.”
Since the placement began, some parents have already begun reporting that their children had been placed in schools they did not choose as their first preference.
According to the department, children will be placed according to the following criteria:
- Home address within the school’s feeder zone
- Siblings, previous school
- Work address within the school’s feeder zone
- The home address within a 30km radius
- Home address beyond a 30km radius
This year, over 800 000 grade one and eight applications were received before the online applications closed.
During the registration period, the department urged parents and guardians to cooperate and heed the call, so that on the first day of the 2024 academic year, schools can focus on teaching and learning.
Parents were warned that there would be consequences for those who deliberately submitted fake documentation.
“The submission of falsified proof of residence and falsified proof of work address, where applicable, will result in the applicant forfeiting the right to preferential placement at a school,” spokesperson for the department Steve Mabona said at the time.
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