Admissions process causes concern in Gauteng

Members from the office of the Gauteng MEC for Education and Youth Development were at Midrand High School on 26 November to address issues of placement and available spaces with community members.

Councillors Annette Deppe of Ward 132, Lerato Mphefo of Ward 112 and Lesibana Lamola of Ward 110 were among those at the meeting.

How the new feeder zones system works

Albert Chanee, the deputy director-general for Strategic Planning Management at the Gauteng Education Department explained that this is the first time the department is utilising the feeder zones system. He explained that feeder zones are about right of access and the household closest to a school gets preferential rights. “Children already involved in the school, parents who work close to or pass by the school can be allowed preference because it is convenient.”

He added that if there was still space after they have dealt with the above-mentioned applicants, applicants within a 30km radius of the school will be given placement. “The placement will be based on time of application and after that, if there is still space, anybody outside the 30km radius wanting to attend school in Midrand will be entitled access to the school.

“How the system works is that the minute you put in your address, it will immediately allocate you to a school in your area. Which will then be the feeder zone that gives you your first choice or second choice of schools.”

Chanee further stressed that the minute an applicant is finished with their application on the system, they are told to submit documents to the school for verification. “If you did not take the documents for verification, then our system will indicate that you are not interested in a placement anymore.”

He added that all parents who had submitted the documents at schools and were still not placed, were expected to be placed by 30 November.

Progress of placements

Chanee also explained that the department is aware of the development in Midrand and shortage of schools to accommodate the growing numbers of residents. “In Midrand, there are only three primary schools and two secondary schools. For the primary schools, we had 1 725 unique applications for Grade 1 alone and it does not mean they were all residents of this area.

“The number of seats in the classrooms for Grade 1 is only 511 which we have placed to date [on 26 November]. We have placed 782 learners at nearby schools that are not these three primary schools. Three hundred of the 1 725 did not lodge documents to the schools which meant they have abandoned their applications.”

He added that secondary schools in Midrand had 1 973 applications for Grade 8 but there were only 480 spaces available. “What we have done with the schools, which they have agreed to, is to increase the class sizes. As a result, we were able to create 70 short spaces, now placing 550 learners in Grade 8. Of the high school applicants, we placed 1 027 learners at alternate schools outside the immediate Midrand area.”

Chanee continued that, as of 26 November, 275 applicants had not submitted documents and had, therefore, abandoned their applications. He said that in Midrand, 100 learners that still had to be placed in Grade 1, while 121 learners needed to be placed in Grade 8.

“We have asked parents who did not agree with their children’s placements, either because they were too far from home or for other reasons, to lodge a complaint at the district office. The parents will then have to give a reason why the placement is unreasonable. We will either accommodate your offer or respond that we are unable to accept your objection as the school is the only one we have.

“The objections can be made to the MEC of Education Panyaza Lesufi in writing, who will then use external advisory of outsourced legal people to assist him to adjudicate the appeal as to whether the appeal can be upheld or dismissed. Once the MEC has responded and the results are negative, the only way forward is through court.”

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Development of schools in developing cities

Chanee concluded that means are being made to build schools in places which are fast developing, including Midrand. “The majority of developments in Midrand are private developments, as a result, each portion of land was rezoned on a case-by-case basis by the municipality. There is no land readily available for public infrastructure, be it hospitals, clinics, schools and so forth.

“But we have completed an audit of the land and we may have to buy private-owned land in order to start building new schools in the area, which is not something that can be delivered in the next 12 months. Therefore, as the MEC has indicated, it may mean that class sizes have to be increased to accommodate more learners.”

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Responses from parents and councillors

One of the parents among many, Thabi Langa expressed that the meeting was not fruitful as they were not given any solutions. “I did not get the answers I was looking for and I am unhappy with how the meeting was conducted.

“As we speak, I still do not know what to do with my kids because next year they are supposed to do Grade 8. I will have to wait for the last day of acceptances, until then, I do not know how to go about it.”

Ward councillors Annette Deppe and Lerato Mphefo who sat in on the meeting also expressed disappointment on behalf of the residents. Deppe said, “MEC of Education and Youth Development, Panyaza Lesufi should have been at Midrand High on Monday 25 November but he cancelled at the last minute then the meeting changed to Tuesday and he did not pitch up.

“We were told he had other important events to attend to, so the question is, was he ever going to come? Was this just a tick box exercise to say they have done public participation and to appease parents with children that are desperate to get a placement in our schools?”

When approached for comment, the spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Education Steve Mabona, stated that the MEC was unable to attend the event.

The councillors explained that there were about 200 parents who attended the meeting. “They took 10 questions then another 10 but gave no responses or solutions.”

Outstanding 2020 applications

In response to the outstanding applications, Panyanza Lesufi confirmed in a statement on 3 December that all applicants who had submitted documents were placed. “We have learned that most of the inquiries are from applicants that have not submitted documents and those that are unhappy with placement. All inquiries are receiving attention and are being resolved.”

The statement said that the department needs to acknowledge the challenge of space limitations in Midrand and other areas around Gauteng. Lesufi added, “The department is receiving queries from parents who have not applied for admission 2020 during the application period. Late applications will be opened as soon as all queries are resolved. However, only schools with available space will be available.

“Parents who have submitted objections and appeals should note that these are being processed and responses will be provided in due course. Most of the appeals are being resolved in consultation with affected parents.”

Parents were also urged to accept the placement as it has been offered to them. Lesufi concluded that it was quite concerning that the majority of inquiries were related to applicants that did not submit documents. “It is paramount to note that placement cannot be processed without submission of documents. Parents will be given an opportunity to submit documents to facilitate placement.”

He concluded, “The department is receiving queries from parents who have not applied for admission 2020 during the application period. Late applications will be opened as soon as all queries are resolved. However, only schools with available space will be available.”

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Related Article: 

https://www.citizen.co.za/midrand-reporter/229831/classroom-capacity-high-pressure-zones-increased-gauteng-education/