NEWS & ANALYSIS

Only 863 Gauteng schools have space left for late applicants - Lesufi

MEC says 84,3% of 282 823 early applications had been placed

Only 863 Gauteng schools have space left for late applicants - MEC

There are only 863 schools in Gauteng that still have space left to accommodate late applications.

Schools across the country reopen their doors on Wednesday.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said a total of 205 schools had reached capacity for the 2019 academic year.

The department said it had received a total of 282 823 early applications, of which 94.3% had been placed.

"...whereas 16 210 applicants have not been responded to offers or calls to submit documents. On November 28 last year, the department opened late online applications, with only 1 068 schools available for application.

"On the same day, a total of 945 of 2 013 schools with Grade 1 and 8 entry grades reached capacity and no longer available for any further applications," he said.

Over December 2018, the department received 24 228 late applications.

"We have successfully placed 8 090 who have submitted documents, while 16 138 are provisionally placed and will be finalised when documents are submitted.

"Parents are urged to submit the required documents to finalise placements. Furthermore, they are advised to submit required documents immediately after placements."

Lesufi warned parents not to go to schools to try place their children. He urged them to rather visit district offices, where there are walk-ins centres. The centres started operating from Monday and will be closed on January 31.

To deal with overcrowding in Tshwane South, Wierdapark Primary School would relocate to the New Centurion Primary School and temporarily accommodate 400 Grade 8 learners who were not placed in the Centurion area.

Lesufi said De Fakel High School and Ormonde Primary School were prepared to accommodate excess learners. However, Die Fakel High School would require mobile units, while Ormonde Primary School had no sewage system.

"Unplanned financial implications of admitting late applications are substantial. Additional funding will have to be found to finance educator salaries, additional classrooms, learning and teaching support materials and school furniture.

"Procurement processes are also not instant, but can take weeks to complete. The department is doing everything to place all unplaced learners," he said.

Learners who had applied late would be placed after those who had applied on time. Lesufi promised that learners would not miss much schooling this week.

He said 855 Funza Lushaka bursary posts for teachers had been allocated to districts and that 283 graduates had been issued with provisional placement letters.

The closing date for re-checking and re-marking of examinations is January 18. The department is charging R25 for re-checking, R105 re-marking and R205 for viewing of an examination script.

Candidates from no-fee paying schools and learners whose parents had applied, and had been granted a concession on the payment of school, would not be charged.

He announced that approximately 140 00 Grade 1 learners would begin their first day of school on Wednesday. He said that Grade R would be migrating from the Department of Social Development to Department of Education.

Lesufi concluded by saying that the department had borrowed R8.5bn to eradicate asbestos and mobile schools in the province.

News24