Pretoria - The Gauteng Department of Education is involved in a race against time to find placement for scores of Grade 1 and Grade 8 pupils whose parents and guardians have been under stress as their children will be at home while others attend school this morning.
MEC Matome Chiloane announced yesterday morning that they were doing everything in their power to move as fast as possible to find schools and add classrooms to ensure that no child will be without a school in Gauteng in the coming weeks.
With the 2023 academic year starting today, about 1 394 pupils were still unplaced from a list of total unique applicants. At the same time, more than 8 300 late applications were received since the window opened on December 20. It will close on January 31.
In Ekurhuleni North district, 236 Grade 1 applicants remain unplaced, and in Olifantsfontein the school will receive three additional mobile units to increase the school’s capacity.
More mobile units will be accommodated on the grounds of a local church for the remaining unplaced Grade 1 applicants.
In the Kempton Park area, 501 Grade 8 applicants remained unplaced but the schools were expected to confirm the available spaces for further placement once placed applicants report to schools today. The schools were requested to use specialist rooms to accommodate pupils.
In the Tshwane West district, 223 Grade 8 applicants around Akasia and Theresa Park remain unplaced, but the department said it was building a satellite high school to accommodate the remaining unplaced applicants.
In Johannesburg West district, 434 Grade 8 applicants remained unplaced in Roodepoort and the department was negotiating to occupy facilities used by Robinhood College in Maraisburg. Ten unsued classrooms would be cleaned, with minor renovations done before the end of the month.
Chiloane said applicants who applied late were automatically placed at available schools and catch-up programmes would be implemented at affected schools.
Applicants who submitted applications without providing proof of residence will be treated as late applications, and will also be automatically placed at schools with available spaces.
He also reminded the public that late applicants cannot be transferred to schools of choice.
“The department procured a total of 419 mobiles to address the pressure of unplaced applications across the province. The procurement of self-build classrooms is also used to increase placement capacity.
“We continue to encourage schools to be part of the self-build programme.
“In high pressure areas we are establishing satellite schools.
“There is a concerted effort to work with the sister departments to acquire more land to increase the number of schools in high pressure areas.”
Chiloane said by yesterday, the department had received a total of 4 801 appeals against placements offered to applicants, but they were working tirelessly to finalise the appeals.
Pretoria News