The Gauteng Education Department has opened its online school applications for Grade 1 and Grade 8 enrollment. Parents and guardians have been encouraged to apply before the deadline to secure space for their children for the 2024 academic year.
The Gauteng Education Department (GDE) is making use of an online application system for the school admission applications of Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners.
The department believes that its system is able to handle the high volume of parents and guardians who are eager to enroll their children for the 2024 academic year.
The department’s online school applications will remain open until Monday 19 August at midnight. These online applications can be submitted at http://www.gdeadmissions.gov.za/.
Parents have been urged to apply on time so that they can secure a space for their children for the next school year.
The GDE’s spokesperson Steve Mabona told eNCA that as of 22 July 2024 more than 165 000 learners had been successfully registered through the online system.
Mabona said that there were initial technical issues with the online system as there were more parents applying than the amount that the system expected. The department worked quickly to correct this and apologized to all parents affected by these issues.
Parents who need assistance with navigating the system have been encouraged to contact the GDE’s Contact Centre at 0800 000 789 or leave a message on the department’s WhatsApp at 060 891 0361.
They have also been urged to visit the department district offices and decentralized walk-in centres in order to receive help with applications.
Parents and guardians are required to upload or send certified copies of the documents listed below, within seven days of submitting their online application:
- Parent and child 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/immunization report (Grade 1 only)
- After the application period closes, parents and guardians will have seven days after 26 August 2024 to upload or submit their required documentation listed above.
The GDE has stated that documents that have been submitted after the application period’s deadline will be regarded as incomplete applications and will only be placed at open schools between 1 December and 15 December 2024.
Parents have called for learners with special needs to receive the same assistance with applications, however, Mabona says that those learners have to undergo the necessary assessments before they can apply for schooling. Thus, the department is not able to open a specific application period for all learners with special needs.
