It’s all systems go for the 2023 academic year
The MEC was speaking during a media briefing in Kempton Park, on Tuesday, ahead of the reopening of schools in the province on January 11.
The Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane says it’s all systems go for the start of the 2023 academic year in the province and has called for calm citing that the department is hands on deck with the remaining placements of Grade 1 & 8 learners.
The MEC explained that of the completed applications received, they managed to place over 290 751 leaving at least 1395 learners yet to be placed in schools. The current figure of 236 Grade 1 and 1158 Grade 8 applications that are not placed, he stated, was linked to high-pressure areas.
He further explained that 8000 applications, categorised as in-complete, included late applications and applications without providing proof of residence will continue to be auto-placed at schools with available space.
MEC Chiloane said while they were at the moment focusing on complete applications in high-pressure areas, he assured parents that the number of placements would be reduced as they continued to place learners every day.
He also reassured parents that The Department was working tirelessly to finalise application appeals which objected to placements offered to applicants. He said each appeal would be treated objectively and the appeal upheld considering various factors.
He further called on parents, civil society groups and political parties to not disrupt activities at district offices in the name of “protecting the rights of parents” citing this was only creating chaos and further delay.
According to The Department, they have procured 419 mobiles to address the pressure of unplaced applications across the province as well as establishing satellite schools in high-pressure areas, as part of its placement intervention.
