It’s all systems go for the Gauteng Department of Education’s online system

So far, more than 80 000 Grade 1 and 8 parents have successfully applied for their children to attend schools in Gauteng for next year.

According to the Gauteng Department of Education‘s acting head of communications, Oupa Bodibe, the online applications will close at midnight on 12 June.

Bodibe advised parents to log onto www.gdeadmissions.gov.za to apply in order to avoid disappointment in the new year.

“We have noted that some parents have already applied before the stipulated admissions period. Such parents should note that their application is invalid and they should log on again,” Bodibe said.

He noted, however, that applications for re-enrollments for grades 2 to 7 and grades 9 to 11 had already begun on 18 April.

Read: Update on admissions placement

Last year, the online registration process crashed within minutes of going live preventing parents from registering on the first day, however, this year the online registration’s capacity has been improved.

According to the Gauteng MEC of Education’s Panyaza Lesufi’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, the system has been upgraded to accommodate 50 000 logins per second from 25 000 logins per second.

Last year the department had received a total number of 175 827 applications for Grade 1s through the online system and placed 159 182, but by January 16 645 schoolchildren had yet to find a place at a school.

“We are optimistic that this year we have resolved issues with the system and are confident that we will exceed our numbers from last year,” Mabona further explained.

He urged parents who knew of other parents who intended to bring their children to the province to alert them of the online registration and that all interactions between themselves and the department could be done through their website.

Principal of Blairgowrie Primary School, Pat Oosthuizen said several parents had camped over night at their school, however, all went well and all parents were quickly helped with their enquiries.

Oosthuizen and the Student Governing Body chairperson, Patrick Kelly held a meeting the week before in order to assist parents step by step through the process.

“This year we were very prepared and can happily report that there were no major issues. Parents were helped while the Parent Teacher Association sold hot chocolate, muffins and coffee to those who waited in line,” she concluded.

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Details: Gauteng Department of Education call centre 011 355 0000.

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