Gauteng Department of Education has announced the impending closure of President Park Combined School due to its illegal operation

The Gauteng Department of Education’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, has provided an important update regarding the situation of President Park Combined School.

According to Mabona, the school submitted an application for registration with the department, with the intention of operating in the upcoming year.

Due to this status, a formal letter indicating the closure of the school will be issued to ensure compliance with the necessary regulations and standards set forth by the Department of Education.

Read more: The legal and ethical storm surrounding President Park Combined School

This announcement comes in response to a recent article titled President Park school operates illegally [Week ending August 9], highlighting concerns about the school operating without the proper legal framework.

In that article, the department confirmed that the school’s operations were indeed illegal and that officials from the department will be dispatched to the school to carry out a thorough investigation, and that the results of this investigation will be shared in due course to provide clarity on the situation.

During a visit to the school, department officials identified that the property where the school is currently situated has not been properly zoned for educational use.

Furthermore, it was found that the school’s application to operate had not received approval from the department.

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Mabona stated, “Accordingly, a letter of closure will be issued to the school to enforce compliance,” emphasising the necessity for the school to adhere to established guidelines.

“It must be noted that the school only applied for registration to operate in 2025.”

The investigation revealed that the location was not designated for educational purposes, and because of this, the appropriate authorities advised the administration of the school to file for a Consent Use Application with the local municipality.

This type of application is a formal request made to the municipality, seeking permission to utilise land for specific purposes that are consistent with the existing zoning regulations for that property.

Mabona went on to advise anyone considering the establishment of a private school that they must apply to the Provincial Department of Education, specifically the Independent Schools Directorate, in order to obtain the head of department’s approval before proceeding to operate.

This process involves submitting a comprehensive application at least one year prior to commencing operations, and it requires adherence to all relevant registration requirements.

These requirements include the submission of various documents, such as zoning certificates, health certificates, and other necessary documentation.

Upon the completion of thorough assessments, the Department of Education issues an Education Management Information System (EMIS) certificate to the school.

This certificate contains essential information, including the name of the school, its address, and a unique EMIS Number associated with it. This certificate serves as proof of the school’s legal standing and compliance with educational regulations.

Mabona stressed the importance of the EMIS certificate, “If a school does not have an EMIS certificate which corresponds with the address where a school is situated, then parents must know that it is an illegally operating school.”

He added, “If a school is operating in a residential area without the necessary compliance documents approved by their respective municipality and does not possess an EMIS certificate that aligns with the address of its operation, then it is indeed functioning illegally.”

Parents and community members are strongly encouraged to request and review EMIS letters when seeking admission to any school. This is a crucial step in ensuring that the institutions they are considering are legitimate and compliant with regulatory standards.

In a conversation with Thinandavha Lilly Nengobela, the principal and cofounder of President Park Combined School, she expressed her active engagement with the municipality, emphasising that she is diligently working to obtain the necessary consent use designation.

She acknowledged that her only oversight in this matter was failing to register the new property allocated for the school, as the institution was previously located at another site before relocating.

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