Motshekga pledges to work with provinces to assist unplaced learners

Minister of Basic Education (DBE) Angie Motshekga says that she will continue to work with provinces to ensure that learners who have still not been placed in schools for the 2022 academic year are assisted.

This was among the topics of discussion held at the DBE media brief on the opening of schools for the 2022 academic year which was held earlier today at the Tshedimosetso House in Hatfield, Pretoria.

In the briefing, Motshekga said that she is aware that there are still learners who are yet to be placed in schools. “At the moment, Gauteng is experiencing challenges in this regard and we appeal to parents and guardians to cooperate with the district officials to resolve any matter,” she said.

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The minister says that traditionally, admissions take a year to process. However, they find that due to a variety of reasons, admissions spill over into the ensuing year.

According to Deputy-Director General (DDG) for Planning Simone Geyer, some of these reasons include late applications which delay the registration process, the difficulty of planning how many learners need placement, and the general perception that English-medium schools are of superior quality.

Such factors make it difficult to place learners as parents often do not provide a second choice option where they would like their children to be schooled, making the placement process more challenging.

“We implore parents and guardians to accept the schools in which their learners are placed. When schools have reached their maximum capacities, further admissions become impossible,” Motshekga says.

The minister has assured the public that the issue of school placement is a matter of urgency.

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