Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi announced on Monday, May 9 that online admissions for Grade 1 and Grade 8 for the 2023 academic year will commence on July 22, 2022.
According to Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) spokesperson, Steve Mabona, the GDE has reviewed the online system, as well as the previous two-phased approach.
“After an analysis of various online parent surveys and stakeholder consultations, the system has now been enhanced to follow a single application process, allowing all applicants to apply at the same time during the application period. We believe this overall simplified applications process will satisfy everyone.”
The application period will start at 08:00 on July 22, 2022 for Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications, and close at midnight on August 19, 2022.
To apply, visit www.gdeadmissions.gov.za. Parents and guardians will receive SMS notifications of placements offers to either accept or decline from October 3 to 31, 2022.
“Grade R learners will not automatically be accepted to Grade 1 without application, even if they apply to the schools where they are currently enrolled in. This means that all learners that are five years old turning six by June 30, 2023 and are currently enrolled in Grade R in a school or ECD centre, as well as learners that are not in any type of school, must apply for admission at a minimum of three and a maximum of five schools.”
The GDE urged parents and guardians to upload or submit certified copies of the following documents within seven days of applying:
1. Parent and child ID or passport
2. Refugee permit
3. Asylum seeker permit
4. Permanent residence permit
5. Study permit
6. South African birth certificate
7. Proof of home address
8. Proof of work address
9. Latest school report and clinic card/ immunisation report (Grade 1 only)
Steve added parents and guardians will be given up until August 26, 2022 (seven days after application period ends) to upload or submit their documents. However, documents that are uploaded or submitted after the application period closing date will be considered as incomplete applications and will only receive placement at available schools from December 1 to 15, 2022.
“To eliminate the risk of a school overlooking an applicant with uploaded documents, during and up to seven days after the end of the application period schools will receive an auto alert each time new documents are uploaded. The system will highlight all uploaded documents for verification.
In order to hold schools accountable for verification of all received documents, the system will prompt schools to answer the question whether an applicant submitted documents or not. If verified, the system will prompt the school to verify and update document status. If not verified, the system will create an alert on the parent’s profile, and an SMS will be sent to the parent to submit or upload documents.
“As part of the system-enhancement process, applicants will be afforded the opportunity to make informed choices regarding languages offered when applying to a school. Language of Learning and Teaching, Home Languages, and additional languages offered by each school will be visible on the system to applicants during the application period.
“All applicants will be granted an opportunity to apply to a school of their choice, according to the selected application option. This is an improvement as previous complaints we received that schools were not available for certain application options and, as such, all schools will remain open for applications for all during the application period.
“For all applicants to submit completed applications, electronic messages will be sent via SMS, reminding parents and guardians to complete their application, and the same notifications will be created on the parent’s profile on the system. SMS notifications informing applicants whether their application was successful or unsuccessful will be sent from October 3 to 31, 2022. Therefore, it is highly important that applicants provide ONE reliable and working cellphone number when applying in order to receive notifications and complete their application.
“It is paramount to note that Schools of Specialisation will admit learners based on an aptitude or talent from May 20 to June 20, 2022. Admission tests, written assessments, trials and auditions will also be conducted by Schools of Specialisation for applicants from May 20 to August 26, 2022. The outcome of these tests and trials will be communicated to applicants from June 20, 2022 to September 9, 2022. Parents who have applied to Schools of Specialisation are urged to accompany their children to these tests and trials to complete the process.
Parents and guardians applying to boarding schools in Gauteng must apply directly at identified schools. Applications to boarding schools will take place from June 1 to August 19, 2022.
“Placement of applicants with documents uploaded/ delivered within the regulated period will be prioritised.”
The GDE said it must be noted that placement will be conducted as per the following admission regulations:
1. Home address within feeder zone
2. Siblings
3. Work address
4. Within 30 km radius
5. Beyond 30km radius
“To ensure access for applicants who are unable to apply from the comfort of their homes and/ or offices, the department has identified Decentralised Walk-In Centres in different areas where applicants will be safely assisted. In addition, some District Offices and the Head Office will serve as walk-in centres. This information will be made available to the public via schools, Districts, the GDE website and social media platforms.
Parents and guardians who experience challenges during the application period are encouraged to visit our District Offices and Decentralised Walk-In Centres or call the GDE’s Contact Centre 0800 000 789.
“Dear parents and guardians, if your child will be seeking space at a school in Gauteng for Grade 1 or 8 in 2023, make sure you diarise the announced dates as they are very important. Officials incorporated inputs from our stakeholders on how to improve the system. Indeed, we are hopeful that these implemented enhancements will be helpful to all applicants. Accordingly, we must reiterate that capacity remains our challenge in Gauteng, and a factor that applicants must always bear in mind when applying,” said MEC Lesufi.
