Alberton High and 3 Katlehong schools are among top 10 most applied-to in Gauteng
Alberton High School and three secondary schools in Katlehong have reached full capacity as Gauteng sees unprecedented demand, with thousands of applications for limited space.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced that 467 schools across the province have reached full capacity as of December 3, with local areas like Eden Park, Alberton, Germiston, and Katlehong seeing immense pressure on their primary and secondary schools.
This situation is part of a broader trend where 247 primary schools and 220 secondary schools have filled all available places.
Applicants who could not be accommodated at these full-capacity schools are currently being transferred to the next closest school with available space.
Primary schools are facing extreme demand
Several primary schools in the Ekurhuleni South (ES) district, which serves Eden Park, Alberton, and Germiston, are among the most sought-after in the province.
These schools received thousands of applications for limited space:
Every one of these high-pressure primary schools is now at full capacity, having placed learners up to their available limit.
Palmridge, Alston, and Alberton Primary Schools had a student-to-capacity ratio of over 6:1.
Secondary schools experience high demand
The secondary school placement process shows a similarly high demand, particularly in Alberton and Katlehong.
Alberton High and all three high-pressure Katlehong secondary schools (Phumlani, Katlehong Secondary, and Katlehong Engineering School of Specialisation) are among the top 10 most applied-to secondary schools in the province and have placed learners up to their full stated capacity.
Alberton High, in particular, received over 13 times its capacity in applications.
Important GDE placement update
The GDE confirms that while the majority of schools received more applications than they could accommodate, the department is actively managing the overflow.
• Total schools at capacity: 467 schools (247 primary and 220 secondary) are full.
• Transfer process: Unplaced applicants who cannot be accommodated at these schools are being systematically transferred to the next closest school with available space.
Parents and guardians are urged to monitor their placement status and cooperate with the GDE’s placement process to ensure all children are successfully enrolled for the upcoming academic year.
