POLOKWANE – Frustrated parents in Nirvana have blamed the Department of Education for what they described as a poorly managed and non-transparent annual learner placement process.

Tuesday marked the closure of the appeal period for rejected applications for the 2026 academic year, but parents claim they are still without clear answers.

Departmental spokesperson Mike Maringa confirmed that responses to appeals would only be communicated on November 1, adding that successful applicants may be placed at schools within feeder zones, which may not necessarily be their preferred choice.

Parents, however, argue that their “appropriately completed applications” were unfairly rejected.

They cite cases where children who have lived in Nirvana all their lives – in some instances closer than 500m from Nirvana Primary and Taxila Secondary – were denied placement, while learners from outside the area were accepted.

Parent representative Daphney Teffo said the process “lacks transparency” and leaves families in limbo.

“To make matters worse, I was redirected to the circuit office where there is little clarity and no clear recourse until November. Schools are supposed to prioritise local residents, yet we are being sidelined and left without answers,” she said.

The parents said they had also reached out to departmental officials via e-mail but had received no solutions.

Many now feel despondent, claiming that authorities are failing to plan for population growth and adequately accommodate local learners.

Contacted for comment, Maringa urged parents to exercise patience, stressing that the appeals process would “exonerate them” and that the circuit office was equipped to deal with the matter.