The Gauteng Department of Education has launched the online admissions for Grade One and Grade Eight today (May 20) for the 2020 academic year.
Parents will have to apply for placement for their children before July 22. This follows the postponement of the opening of the online admissions applications which was set to launch on May 13.
According to Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona, as requested by SGB Associations and interested parties, the Gauteng Department of Education made a concerted effort to address and resolve concerns raised.
“It must be noted that the online admissions application system has always been aligned to the amended admissions and feeder zone regulations as published,” said Mabona,
“However, in the true spirit of inclusivity, consultation and good cooperative governance, a meeting was convened with FEDSAS where the functionality of the system was demonstrated, where open and transparent engagement transpired.”
Mabona said the department also took a decision to avail the system for testing by stakeholders and interested parties to allay fears.
According to the department the admissions is a three phase process, namely:
Phase 1: Registration and application commenced on May 20 at 8am and ends on July 22 at midnight. During this phase, parents can apply to a maximum of five schools using any of the five application options outlined in the amendments to the admissions regulations.
After making an application, parents must submit required documents to the schools applied to within seven school days. Parents must sign the submission register at the school and request a receipt acknowledging submission of documents.
This will serve as important evidence to follow-up on placement.
Phase 2: Placement of learners, commencing on August 31 and ending on September 30. Parents will receive offers of placement from schools based on admissions criteria and availability of space and resources.
Offers must be accepted with seven working days. Failure to accept offers will result in the department placing the learners in schools within the feeder zones that cover the parent’s home address.
Phase 3: Admission to a school will only occur after the offer of placement is accepted and confirmed. Once offers are accepted and confirmed, schools will provide further communication.
- Ranking
Based on the admissions criteria in the amended admissions regulations, application options are ranked in the following order of priority:
1. Home address application option allows applicants to apply to schools within feeder zones that cover the parent’s home address. The learner will be placed at the school closest to the parent’s home address within the feeder zone.
2. Sibling application option allows applicants to apply to a school where the applicant learner’s sibling is currently in Grade One to Grade Six or Grade Eight to Grade 11. The system allows for the sibling application as defined in the Amended Admissions Regulations to remove cultural bias, accommodate diversity and ensure a fair opportunity for all learners.
3. Work address application option allows the applicant to apply to schools with feeder zones that cover the parent’s work address.
4. Parents can apply to schools within 30 km radius of their home address.
5. Parents can apply to schools beyond 30 km radius of their home address.
6. Parents may apply to any school of focus learning offering a specialised curriculum of their choice. Placement is informed by the outcome of admissions test
- Issues resolved
Mabona said the Department is satisfied that issues were clarified and agreed upon in the interest of strengthening the admissions online application system.
“The system is providing a list of all schools and distances to the parents’ home address with feeder zone maps covering the home address. Where the home address is not covered by a feeder zone of a school, for an example, when a parent applies for Grade One where the feeder zones provide secondary schools only.”
“The system will provide a list of the five primary schools closest to the parent’s address. The system is sensitive to primary and secondary school applications in line with the age of the applicant learner.
“The system is sensitive to single gender schools based on the gender of the applicant learner. The department has availed to parents a Step-by-Step user guide and a detailed Video Tutorial to clarify admissions processes.”
He said a video tutorial is available on the department’s website, the online application landing page (under Getting Started) and on Twitter. Parents are encouraged to continue to view the Video Tutorial to familiarise themselves with admssions processes and rules.
Mabona said parents will be assisted with applications at all public ordinary schools, district offices, head office and identified community centres and public libraries as they have prepared walk-in centres to assist parents with applications from 8am to 4pm during school days.
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