Gauteng education dept announces dates for online admissions for grades 1 and 8

Online admissions for grades 1 and 8 for the 2023 academic year will run from July 22 to August 19, the Gauteng Department of Education has announced.

The department said it has enhanced the system to follow a single application process.

“This allows all applicants to apply at the same time during the application period,” said departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona.

“We believe this overall simplified application process will satisfy everyone.”

The application period will start on July 22 at 08:00 and it will close on August 19, 2022 at midnight.

To apply, visit www.gdeadmissions.gov.za .

Parents and guardians will receive SMS notifications of placement offers to either accept or decline from October 3-31.

“Grade R learners will not automatically be accepted to Grade 1 without application, even if they apply to the schools where they are currently enrolled in.

“All learners who are five years old turning six by June 30, 2023, and are currently enrolled in Grade R in a school or ECD centre, as well as learners that are not in any type of school, must apply for admission at a minimum of three and a maximum of five schools.

The department urged parents and guardians to upload or submit certified copies of the following documents within seven days of applying:

– Parent and child’s ID or passport

– Refugee permit

– Asylum seeker permit

– Permanent residence permit

– Study permit

– South African birth certificate

– Proof of home address

– Proof of work address

– Latest school report and clinic card/immunisation report (Grade 1 only)

Parents and guardians have until August 26 (seven days after the application period ends) to upload or submit their documents.

Documents that were uploaded or submitted after the application period closing date will, however, be considered incomplete applications and will only receive placement at available schools between December 1-15.

“To eliminate the risk of overlooking an applicant with uploaded documents by a school, during and up to seven days after the end of the application period, schools will receive an auto alert each time new documents are uploaded. The system will highlight all uploaded documents for verification.

“To hold schools accountable for verification of all received documents, the system will prompt schools to answer the question of whether an applicant submitted documents or not. If verified, the system will prompt the school to verify and update the document status. If not verified, the system will create an alert on the parent’s profile and an SMS will be sent to parents to submit or upload documents,” Mabona said.

“As part of the system enhancement, applicants will have the opportunity to make informed choices regarding languages offered when applying to a school. Language of learning and teaching, home languages and additional languages offered by each school will be visible on the system to applicants during the application period.”

Mabona said all applicants will be granted an opportunity to apply to a school of their choice, according to the selected application option.

“This is an improvement. Previous complaints we received stated that schools were not available for certain application options. As such, all schools will remain open for applications for all during the application period.

“For all applicants to submit completed applications, electronic messages will be sent via SMS reminding parents and guardians to complete their application. The same notifications will be created on the parent’s profile on the system,” Mabona said.

“SMS notifications informing applicants whether their application was successful or unsuccessful will be sent from October 3-31. Therefore, it is very important that applicants provide a reliable and working cellphone number when applying to receive notifications and complete their application.”

He said it was important to note that schools of specialisation will admit learners based on an aptitude test from May 20 to June 20.

These admission tests and assessments will also be held from May 20 to August 26, 2022. Their outcome will be communicated to applicants from June 20 to September 9. Parents who have applied to Schools of Specialisation are urged to accompany their children to these tests and trials to complete the process.

Mabona said parents and guardians applying to boarding schools in Gauteng must apply directly at identified schools, applications to boarding schools will take place from June 1 to August 19.

“Placement of applicants with documents uploaded/delivered within the regulated period will be prioritised.

It must be noted that placements will be conducted as per the following admission regulations:

– Home address within feeder zone

– Siblings

– Work address

– Within a 30km radius

– Beyond a 30km radius

To ensure access for applicants who are unable to apply from the comfort of their homes and/or offices, the department has identified decentralised walk-in centres in various areas where applicants will be assisted. In addition, some district offices and the head office will serve as walk-in centres. This information will be made available to the public via schools, districts, the department’s website and social media platforms.

Parents and guardians who have any problems during the application period were encouraged to visit the department’s district offices and decentralised walk-in centres or call the department’s contact centre at 0800 000 789.

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