As of 7 April all public schools across the Gauteng province have opened their doors to register pupils for the 2015 academic year.
The Gauteng Education MEC Barbara Creecy launched the Public School Admissions Campaign at the Johannesburg Park Station. The launch involved the distribution of pamphlets and encouraging parents to apply now to avoid the last-minute rush in 2015.
“There is a high demand for space in Gauteng schools. We have over 2 000 public ordinary schools that accommodate 1,9 million pupils. Apply early so that we can accommodate you,” says Creecy.
“For us it means we will be able to plan for the number of children who are coming into our system; for parents it means they will be able to get a school that is closer to their place of work or residence,” Creecy adds.
The department processed over 20 000 late applications for the 2014 academic year, an increase from the 15 000 in the previous year. Applying late reduces the chances of parents getting the school of their first choice where they meet the criteria. This also means that pupils will be placed at a school where there is space available, and this might not be close to where their parents work or reside.
From 7 April 2014, parents who wish to register their children for admission in a public school in Gauteng can go to their nearest school to pick up application forms for pupils who want to start Grade 1 or Grade 8 in this province in 2015. These application forms should be returned to the school from 15 April 2014 until 27 May 2014.
“We once again urge parents to work with us to ensure all our schools are ready to operate from the first day of school in 2015,” says Creecy.
“This also provides the department with ample time to plan adequately, knowing the number of pupils coming to schools in 2015, and ensuring that the right amount of school infrastructure, pupil and teacher support material and furniture are allocated to schools,” Creecy adds.
The advocacy campaign will involve using various communication platforms to deliver the department’s message of early registrations. The platforms will include social media, public services announcement, print and electronic media, among others.
“The department remains committed to complying with its Constitutional obligation to place all those who need to attend a public school in Gauteng. We will do everything in our power to ensure equal and fair access to education in Gauteng,” says Creecy.
Parents who will be applying for space in a school need to bring along a completed application form with the following documentation:
• Birth certificate or certified copy (a baptismal certificate is not acceptable)-
• At least one (1) parent’s ID-
• Proof of residence or work address-
• Immunisation card (for Grade 1)-
• Study permits for legal immigrants-
• Asylum documents for refugees and asylum seekers-
• The latest school report card
“We also urge parents to follow through the whole registration process to its finality,” says Creecy. “When registering their children parents must ensure that schools provide them with a waiting list number. This waiting list number will indicate if the applicant is on waiting list A (for parents within a feeder area of a school) or waiting list B (parents outside of a feeder area of a school). “Pupils who are not in entry grades (Grades 1 and 8) also need to re-enrol.
