Education department has processed more than 150 000 online applications

At lunch time on Wednesday the Gauteng Department of Education has processed 154 916 online applications for Grades 1 and 8.

This is almost half of the 350 000 applications expected for the 2018 school year. Reaching this milestone in one and half days is significant and justifies the shift to online application. With manual applications this milestone would only be reached in at least three months, the department said in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon.

“The success can be attributed to the modifications and improvement made to the system, including but not limited establishment of 65 admissions centres across Gauteng.”

The department has identified three minor errors on the system, namely incomplete waiting list numbers; parents receiving WAB list numbers, meaning that addresses could not be found; and isolated cases where the system shows schools far from the home or work address of the parent.

However, all of these have been resolved. The department will re-issue an SMS to parents with incomplete reference numbers and WAB list numbers.

Technicians are working on the system 24-hours. However, should parents still be experiencing problems they are welcome to send the nature of the issue to gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za or call 0800 000 879.

Parents are continuing to be assisted via the 65 operation centres.

Parents are reminded to submit the following documents to the school within seven days:

– ID copies of parent/guardian
– Learner birth certificate
– Latest school report (Grade 7)
– Proof of work or home address
– Immunisation card (Grade 1 applicants)
– Proof of guardianship of the learner, if not biological parents
– Parent/guardian passport/asylum seekers permit for non-South African citizens

Parents that have not yet applied for Grade 1 and 8 must do so as soon as possible. The closing date is June 12 at midnight.

Parents with learners in Grade 2-7 and Grade 9-11 are reminded of re-enrollment at the school.