The applications opened last Thursday at 8am, and within two hours the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) had received 68 000 applications.
Applications for the 2021 academic year will close on July 25 at midnight.
The one-time PIN (OTP) that was introduced as an added security feature has been scrapped.
Parents of learners currently in Grade R and/or Grade Seven must apply for admission of their children to Grade One or Eight by logging on to the GDE’s Admissions Online Application platform at www.gdeadmissions.gov.za
The application process consists of three steps; to begin the three-step application process click on “Apply for 2021”.
Parents must ensure they complete all details for step one, two and three.
Once all three steps are complete, parents will receive an SMS with a reference number.
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This is to remind parents to keep their login credentials safe for easy access during the placement period.
To ensure access to applicants who are unable to apply from the comfort of their homes and/or offices, the GDE has identified 34 walk-in centres in different areas where applicants will be safely assisted to make applications.
In addition, all district offices and head office will serve as walk-in centres.
The district office in Springs is at The Avenues shopping centre.
The GDE says all walk-in centres have been deep-cleaned and sanitised and Covid-19 protocols will be observed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
All required documents must be submitted within seven days of making the application.
This year, the department is introducing online uploading of documents through the Admissions Online Application System.
Parents will, therefore, have a choice to either upload the documents online to one school, which means that other schools will manage to access those documents in the system, or parents may submit hard copies of documents to all schools applied to.
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Parents are encouraged to upload documents using any computer device, including smartphones.
The following documents must be submitted within seven days after applying:
Grade One • Parent’s identity document or passport
• Child’s birth certificate
• Child’s clinic card or proof of immunisation
• Proof of residence
Grade Eight • Parent’s identity document or passport
• Child’s birth certificate
• Child’s latest report card
• Proof of residence
“In adherence to Covid-19 protocols, we would like to make a humble appeal to parents to stay away from schools at this time as schools cannot assist walk-in applicants due to the high risk of infection and spread of the coronavirus.
“However, a few schools with isolated facilities are specified walk-in centres as per the list of walk-in centres.
“All schools will as a safety precaution make provisions for parents to drop documents off at an identified area at the school gate, away from classrooms and office space,” says GDE spokesperson Steven Mabona.
Parents are reminded that following the publication of the amendments to the Admissions Regulations and the Feeder Zone Regulations in 2018, new admissions criteria was introduced.
It is important to note that according to the new admissions criteria, priority is given to applicants who live in the school’s feeder zone and closest to the school.
Parents are, therefore, urged to use the ‘Home’ option to apply to a school that cover their home address.
The admissions criteria is linked to application options and ranked in the order outlined as follows:
• Option 1: Home – the parent’s home address is within the feeder zone and closest to school
• Option 2: Sibling – the child has a sibling at the school applied to (not siblings in Grade Seven or 12); previous school, if the previous school is in the area/feeder zone of the high school the parent wants to apply to (only applicable to applications to Grade Eight.
• Option 3: Work address within the feeder zone, the parent’s work address is in the feeder zone of the school.
• Option 4: Home address within 30km of the school – the parent’s home address is not in the school feeder zone, but within 30km of the school.
• Option 5: Home address is beyond 30km of the school – the parent’s home address is not in the school feeder zone, but isn’t within 30km of the school.
“It is paramount to be mindful that the principle of first come, first served will not be applied.
“Instead, parents should apply at their leisure and refrain from rushing to schools or walk-in centres,” says Mabona.
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MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi says: “The coronavirus outbreak is the most significant challenge our generation and several prior generations have faced.
“Its social, political and economic impact grow with each passing day, presenting us with dilemmas that demand solutions.
“Fortunately, like other challenges before Covid-19, there is no doubt that mankind is more than capable of countering any difficulties it encounters.
“Persistence and adaptability are among our most identifiable traits, and just as the impact of coronavirus has been evident, so too has our collective will and effort.
“So far, we are pleased with the success of the online application system and humbled by the overwhelming response by the people of Gauteng.
“The process has provided several cost-effective solutions.
“Automating services and moving away from human intervention has freed up manpower from other activities and enables better utilisation of human resources.
“I urge all parents and guardians to use the online registration process and apply during the specified application period as no late applications will be accommodated.
“The Admissions Online Application System is the future.
“Let us all embrace it.”
The admissions portal is a data-free system.
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