The Gauteng Department of Education has so far placed 81 033 Grade 1 learners and 65 726 Grade 8 learners for the 2024 academic year.
This is according to the Gauteng Department of Education's latest online admissions placement progress report released on 10 September 2023.
The 2024 online admissions placement period began on 4 September 2023 and continues until all learners are placed.
“At the end of the first week (4 September 2023 to 7 September 2023) of Grade 1 and Grade 8 placement, the department can report that the placement process ran smoothly.
“While the department is proud to acknowledge that as at 7 September 2023, a total of 141 036 (46.09%) applicants have accepted placement offers, it remains concerning that 71 775 parents have not responded to placement offers,” the GDE said.
The department said the placement progress is significantly slowed by parents who are not accepting placement offers, as the spaces are reserved for seven days, while no offers can be released to other applicants from the same school.
Parents are reminded that there are two options to select after offers are issued, which are “accept placement offers as final”, or “accept placement offers while awaiting additional offers within seven school days”.
“Applicants with offers not accepted within seven schools will be auto-placed at the school with a placement offer closest to the parent’s home address after the seventh day,” the department said.
Parents are reminded that applicants are ranked for placement according to the regulated admissions criteria in the following order up to the capacity of each school:
• Home address within school feeder zone closest to the school.
• Siblings in Grade 1 – 7 or 8 – 11 only.
• Previous school in feeder zone of the school applied to.
The department said when all applicants in the above categories are placed, placement offers will be released to applicants in the following categories in the order outlined below, up to the capacity of each school with available space:
• Work address within school feeder zone.
• Home address within 30km.
• Home address beyond 30km.
Parents with incomplete applications (no documents or no valid proof of residence) will be able to select a school with available space from 11 December 2023.
Parents are further urged to check their cell phones for placement offers or login to their profiles on www.gdeadmissions.gov.za to view and accept placement offers.
Parents with placement offers, who have no access to the internet to accept placement offers, are encouraged to visit schools, districts or the head office to be assisted to accept offers, or call the department on 0800 000 789 for assistance.
“Applicants with complete applications and no placement offers are advised to remain calm, as offers are issued daily until all applicants with complete applications are placed. Parents are urged to view the placement offer calmly and carefully to ensure that no mistakes are made.
“Parents and guardians who applied for 2024 Online Admissions are urged to be patient if they have not yet received placement offers. The placement process is currently in progress and will continue until every learner is successfully placed,” the department said.
To check your application status, applicants can visit www.gdeadmissions.gov.za. – SAnews.gov.za
