Pretoria learners offered alternative placements at schools

Uitsig High School in The Reeds, like other schools in Pretoria such as Laerskool Danie Malan and Hoërskool Akasia, had to cope with concerned parents whose children had not been placed at schools.

In accordance with the Gauteng department of education’s (GDE) online application system, the department places applicants who applied online, at schools.

Uitsig spokesperson Manda Bester said the school looked into cases where parents reported that their children had not been placed.

“We found that some parents had not applied online at the GDE, and others submitted their applications with defects failing to attach the necessary documents.

“We also had cases where learners were placed at schools which they had not chosen to be placed.”

Bester said the school advised parents to consider other options such as homeschooling or to consider smaller private schools in the area.

“If that was not a solution, we had to refer them back to the department. There was nothing else we could do. The GDE handles online applications and placements, it is not a function of the school.

“It is truly a sad affair. There don’t seem to be enough schools in Pretoria, the province, or the country for that matter,” Bester said.

READ MORE: Latest school disruption lambasted

Bester said the online procedure meant that an application was removed from the system if the necessary documents (such as proof of residence) were not uploaded onto the GDE’s system or submitted at the school before the 31 July closing date last year.

“The department would then have called parents to request them to upload the outstanding documents onto their online system and processed their applications together with the late applications.”

Bester said the department handled placements strictly in accordance with the distance between the school and the learner’s place of residence.

“The GDE system has a built-in GPS that calculates the distance, and those learners living closest to a school, get placed first.

“As soon as a school reaches capacity, the learners get placed at other schools in the area that still have places available. With the late applications, schools without capacity will subsequently not be listed as options available for parents to choose. High School Uitsig also reached capacity.”

GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department was aware of the incidents and called on parents not to disrupt schools.

“In Pretoria, the department offered alternative placements. Our only challenge now is that of learners in Johannesburg south, namely Mondeor, Naturena and Alberton area.”

Hoërskool Akasia was in the news last Wednesday when protestors blocked entrances to the school demanding placement for learners. Parents also disrupted Laerskool Danie Malan earlier this week.

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