Parents can start applying online to register their children for the 2020 school year as of 13 May, according to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE).
In a statement released by Steve Mabona, the GDE spokesperson, applications for the 2020 academic year for Grades 1 and 8 will open at 8am on Thursday, 13 May and close at midnight on Monday, 15 July.
Parents are urged to apply online and on time.
“Applying on time makes it possible to obtain a space in a public school,” he said.
Parents are urged to use the online system and log on to https://www.gdeadmissions.gov.za.
Steve said to make an application, parents should click on ‘Apply for 2020’ and follow the prompts through the three-step process, namely:
• Step 1: Enter Parent/ Legal Guardian Details
• Step 2: Enter Learner Details
• Step 3: Apply to a School
According to Steve, the online system was introduced to make it easy and convenient for parents to submit applications rather than queue at a school.
“It has also provided accurate information to the Department for planning purposes. Applications are opened early to provide adequate time for planning of allocation of resources such as educators, classrooms, learning and teaching study materials. The Department is pleased to announce that the capacity of the Admissions Online Application System has been increased to accommodate 50 000 simultaneous users.”
Steve added that when applying online, parents have a choice to submit a maximum of five applications using a number of options, namely Home Address, Sibling, Work Address, 30km radius and/ or Beyond 30 km radius.
He added parents or applicants with children in Grade R in the school at which they wish to remain for 2020 should also apply online.
“Applications for boarding schools should also be made online. However, the applicant/ parent must apply directly to the school for boarding or accommodation. Applications for Grade 8 at monastic or girls only/ boys only schools should also be done online.
“Previous/ Current School will no longer be available as an Application Option. However, all Grade 8 applications must indicate the child’s current school. The system will measure the distance from the child’s current Primary School to the closest Secondary School. If the parent has applied to the Secondary School closest to the current Primary School, the system will place the applicant at that Secondary School.
“Once the application is complete online, the applicant or parent will receive an SMS notification with the relevant reference number. For this reason, applicants and parents are urged to use their own valid cellphone numbers or email addresses. All communication with the parent regarding Username, Password, Waiting List Reference Number, etc., will be conducted through the supplied cellphone number or email address.
“Applicants are advised not to use the details of the Internet Cafés at which they might make their application when completing the application. Parents are urged to store the log-in details and reference number in a safe place.”
Applicants and parents should submit the following documents to the school within seven working days:
– A certified copy of the child’s Identity Document (Non-South African citizens should submit a certified copy of Passport, valid Visa or Temporary/ Permanent Residence Permit or Asylum Seeker or Refugee Permit)
– Proof of home address
– A certified copy of child’s Birth Certificate (Unabridged Birth Certificates are not required). Non-South African citizens should submit a study permit/ visa or child’s asylum/refugee permit
– Clinic Immunisation Card if applying for Grade 1 (Non-South Africans are also required to submit proof of immunisation)
– Current school academic report and transfer if applying for Grade 8
– Proof of sibling relationship where sibling option is chosen.
Steve added that placement of learners by the Department will take place from 27 August to 20 September 2019.
He went on to say that 2020 is a new era for admissions to public schools.
“The admissions process for the 2020 academic year marks a new era in the Gauteng Basic Education system. New Admission Policy and Regulations have been promulgated following an open, transparent and consultative process. Promulgation of the new policy was triggered by the order of the Constitutional Court and several Court challenges in the past 25 years. In addition, the Department had to address some anomalies in the system to manage admissions and to clarify roles between schools, districts and the Head of Department.
“It is a well-known fact that apartheid left a legacy of a deeply flawed, fragmented and unequal education system. The post-apartheid state has made serious strides towards building a unified, non-racial and non-sexist education system and to redistribute resources to ensure equitable access to quality education across the public-school system.
“The new Admission Regulations are a further attempt to eliminate the spatial geography of apartheid and ensure fair, equitable access to all public schools in Gauteng.”
He said the key features of the Regulations are the online application process, feeder zones, the administration of admissions, school admission policies, and an admission test.
Schools have been given three months to revise and submit their admissions policy to the Head of Department.
“The new policies should be in line with the new Regulations.”
For queries, parents are advised to contact the Department at the following telephone number or email address:
– Call Centre: 011 355 0000, Toll free number: 0800 000 789
– Email address: Gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za
