A guide on how to apply for your child’s school

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) will open the online application system for Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners on Monday, 16 April, and has provided a step-by-step guide on how to apply.

“The Gauteng Department of Education will officially open the 2019 Online Application System for Grade 1 and 8 admissions on Monday, 16 April at 8 am, and close at midnight, 28 May 2018.

“Parents must visit www.gdeadmissions.gov.za to apply. Parents are urged to use Google Chrome to access the online website, as is it faster than other search engines,” said the GDE.

A parent can apply for a maximum of five schools per learner using the following options for Grade 1:

1.            Home Address

2.            Work Address

3.            Sibling

4.            School of Choice

For Grade 8, a parent can apply using the following options:

1.            Home Address

2.            Work Address

3.            Sibling at school (the sibling should not be in Grade 7 or Grade 12 in the current academic year)

4.            Previous school

5.            School of Choice

6.            Schools of Focussed Learning/School of Specialisation.

A parent applying for Grade 8 can also indicate the current school that the child is attending. This will identify high schools closest to the current primary school that the learner is attending.

“An application using a home address, work address or sibling at the school will be placed on high priority referred to as List A or WA, to assist in prioritising applications of learners living closer to the school.

“However, using the school of choice option, the applicant will be placed on waiting List B or WB. This means the applicant lives or works outside of the feeder zone,” said the GDE.

The department has warned parents to note that while they can apply at any of the schools with a focus on specialised talent, the learner will, however, be required to write an aptitude test or be subjected to other pre-selection tests.

Any parent who lacks access to the internet or requires face-to-face assistance should visit one of the decentralised application centres or a community library. DBE will operate 65 admissions centres across the 15 education districts.

Alternatively, parents can contact the department at the following telephone or email address:

Call Centre on (011) 355 0000;

Toll-free number 0800 000 789; or

Email: Gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za

How to apply on the online system

Once a parent has logged on to the online system, they must follow these steps:

Step 1: fill in details of the parent.

Step 2: fill in the learner details.

Step 3: choose a school using any of the options listed above.

Parents and guardians, who will be applying from an internet café or public computer, must ensure that they provide their own accurate, reliable mobile phone number.

Once an application is successful, the parent will receive an SMS. Parents are then required to submit the following documents within seven days to each of the schools.

For Grade 1, the following documents should be submitted to all the schools where applications were made:

•             Parents ID document or Legal Guardian ID

•             Learner Birth Certificate

•             Proof of Home Address or Proof of Work Address

•             Clinic/Immunisation Card

For Grade 8, the following documents should be submitted:

•             Parents ID Document or Legal Guardian ID

•             Learner Birth Certificate

•             Proof of home address or Proof of work Address

•             Report Card

Upon submission of documents, parents must sign a register to indicate that documents were submitted and receive a confirmation of submission of documents received.

“Spaces in Gauteng schools are scarce and some school are in high demand. For that reason, parents are urged to apply on time. Placement at a school depends on available spaces at a school

“Parents that are enrolling Grade R learners must apply online for Grade 1. Although Grade R is not yet formally part of the schooling system, parents are urged to apply,” said the GDE.

ALSO READ: 2019 online school admissions open Monday – MEC Lesufi

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