Mapaballo Borotho
- Over 80% of Grade 1 and 8 learners in Gauteng have been placed, but thousands remain unplaced for 2026.
- The DA says poor communication and planning from the Education Department has left parents distressed.
- The department plans to finalise all placements by 12 December.
Gauteng parents have been left in a limbo as some learners have still not been placed in schools for the 2026 academic year.
The MEC of Education in Gauteng, Matome Chiloane, says over 80% of Grade 1 and 8 learners have been placed in schools for the next academic year. The department received more than 800,000 applications.
Chiloane was briefing the media at King Edward’s School in Houghton on Thursday morning.
He said everything is on track for the admissions of Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners.
However, he also highlighted that parents play a crucial role in assisting the admission process.
He added that there are more than 11 000 placements that parents have not yet responded to.
“When they don’t accept, it makes it difficult for us to place learners,” said Chiloane.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng says many parents remain in a state of uncertainty due to the failure of the Education Department to communicate on placements.
“The Democratic Alliance (DA) demands that the GDE urgently finalise 2026 placements and end the distress of parents who are merely seeking clarity and finalisation of the admission process ahead of the new academic year.
In every admissions cycle, the DA warns that delays, a lack of transparency and poor planning from the department will leave parents frustrated and risk many learners losing weeks of school due to non-placement. However, these warnings are ignored, leading to a recurring placement crisis,” said DA member of parliament Sergio Isa Dos Santos.
Some parents have allegedly reported to the DA that they have not received any information about school placements, while others have been allocated schools, they are not familiar with, or that are far from their homes.
Santos says the number of incomplete placements clearly indicates that the admissions system is deeply flawed and lacks the transparency and responsiveness that parents deserve.
The Department of Education said it will complete the placement of pupils on 12 December 2025.
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