“We understand the frustration caused by delays in placement but are not prepared to revert to the manual system,” says Oupa Bodibe, GDE spokesman.
About 80% of learners were placed by the end of August.
Read: Education MEC apologises for online applications delay
The department opted for the online applications for Grades One and Eight to ease planning and elimination of queues at schools by parents seeking application for their children.
“Despite the teething problems, the objectives set for the system have largely been met,” says Bodibe.
To accommodate parents who don’t have access to the Internet, schools, district offices, Thusanong centres and community libraries were requested to assist with online registration.
The department extended the deadline and processed late applications.
More road shows were organised across the 15 districts to assist parents with admission issues.
Read: Compulsory online learner admissions for 2017
The department plans to continue with online applications for 2017 with respect to the 2018 academic year.
“The system will be refined to incorporate important lessons learned in the 2016 experience,” says Bodibe.
School infrastructure
Bodibe says the demand for space is currently high due to rapid migration.
However, the GDE reiterates the commitment to place all learners as speedily as possible.
The pressure for additional space to accommodate unplaced learners translates into the demand for infrastructural provisioning.
GDE plans to deliver eight new brick and mortar schools, 12 new Alternative Construction Technology (ACT) schools, 603 additional ACT classrooms which includes ordinary and learners with special educational needs (LSEN) schools, 314 Grade R classrooms and 160 toilet blocks in 2017, to address the pressure
About 74 ACT classrooms were relocated to schools in high admission pressure areas to alleviate current overcrowding.
“Of the new infrastructure, eight new brick and mortar schools are scheduled to open before the end of January,” says Bodibe.
