The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has noted the enquiries from concerned parents regarding the placement of learners for the 2019 academic year.
Steve Mabona, GDE spokesperson said, “The Department is doing everything necessary to work with speed and ensure that all learners who applied during the application period (16 April to 28 May 2018) for the 2019 learner intake, are placed on time. We call on parents to be patient as our call centre is inundated with a high volume of calls, which gives a false impression that calls ring unanswered.”
He said the reality is that call centre agents spend on average between 15 and 20 minutes on a call.
“Eighty per cent of the calls received assist with resetting passwords, whilst 20 per cent assist with pending district processing. On Friday 3 August, the call centre received 14 085 calls, while on Monday, 6 August we received 17 996 and 10 670 the following day.”
Steve added that between 16 April and 28 May 2018, the Department processed a total of 282 823 applicants. Of these, 149 461 are Grade 1 applicants and 133 362 are Grade 8 applicants. The Department has to date made 193 587 offers of placement to applicants and as at 7 August, 74 421 of the offers had been accepted.
On Wednesday, 8 August, it was said that 89 236 applicants had not received offers of placement.
“The status of these applicants will remain pending until further processing,” he said.
Steve went on to say, “The Department appeals to parents to allow the placement process to run its course and hereby assures them that online applications for Grades 1 and 8 that were received in April and May, will be dealt with by the end of October 2018.”
Applicants who have lost or forgotten user names and passwords, can call the call centre on 0800 000 789. Alternatively, log on to www.gdeadmissions.gov.za.
“The Department is committed to ensuring that all learners are placed on time and receive quality basic education. Once more, we take this time to assure parents that all online applications for Grades 1 and 8 received in April and May, will be handled in time.”
Call for inputs on Draft Amendments to Admissions Regulations
On 30 July, Steve said the GDE issued Draft Amendments to the Regulations Relating to the Admission of Learners to Public Schools.
“The comment on these Draft Amendments must be submitted to the GDE by 29 August 2018 (30 days after publication),” Steve said.
Among others, the published amendments propose that public schools in the province will no longer unfairly discriminate against pupils on the basis of race, language, ethnicity, origin, culture, colour, age, religion, conscience, belief, sexual orientation, HIV status or any other illness. A learner may not be refused admission because the parent is unable to pay or has not paid school fees or a deposit determined by the school governing body (SGB), does not subscribe to the mission statement and code of conduct of the school, or has refused to enter into a contract in terms of which the parent waives any claim for damages arising out of the education of the learner.
For more information, contact Steve on 072 574 3860.
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