UPDATE: AfriForum reports issues with 2020 online school applications
Parents had until 22 July to apply for admission.
The Gauteng education department commenced its online applications on Monday but some problems in the system have been reported.
Applications were for the 2020 academic year for grades 1 and 8.
Parents had until 22 July to apply for admission.
AfriForum said it had received volumes of complaints about the system from parents struggling to find their home address on the system.
ALSO READ: VIDEO: Gauteng online school admission applications to open on Monday
AfriForum education project co-ordinator Carien Bloem said the organisation had previously objected to the system, saying it did not provide for a choice of medium of instruction on registration.
Bloem said when the system was postponed, AfriForum had welcomed Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s commitment to addressing the issues.
“However, we were disappointed by Lesufi’s opinions at Sunday’s press conference when he kept highlighting that a certain race thinks schools belong only to them,” she said.
Parents were reportedly accused of unfairly sending their children to Afrikaans schools.
Bloem said several studies had shown the benefit of mother tongue education including advancing multilingualism.
On Sunday, the department explained how the system would admit children based on various factors, including home and parents’ work addresses.
However, Bloem said AfriForum had already received complaints that parents were struggling to access these options.
“Work addresses cannot be registered as well as sibling placement,” she said.
The department spokesperson Steve Mabona on Sunday said a step-by-step user guide and a detailed video tutorial had been set up to clarify the admissions processes.
“The video can be viewed on the department’s website, the online application web page and social media,” said Mabona.
“Parents are encouraged to view the tutorial to familiarise themselves with process and rules,” he said.
ALSO READ: Online Gauteng school admissions applications resuming Monday
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