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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) says it has received over half a million online applications for grades one and eight, to date.
The GDE opened the online admissions system for the 2025 academic year a week ago, inviting parents and guardians to submit their children’s applications.
The online system is meant for registration of learners starting grades one and eight in the next academic year.
Commenting on the “exceptional response” to the 2025 online admissions application process, Matome Chiloane, Gauteng MEC for education, sport, arts, culture and recreation, says: “On Wednesday, 17 July 2024, at 11h00, the online admissions system recorded a total of 512 237 applications. This translates to 214 843 grade one applications and 297 394 for grade eight applications.
“The application window for grade one and grade eight admissions is still open until 12 August 2024, and we strongly encourage all parents to complete the full five-step application process.
“The phenomenal number of applications we've received demonstrates the trust parents place in our education system. The Gauteng Department of Education remains committed to providing quality education for all and ensuring a fair and transparent admissions process.”
The provincial education department introduced the schools online registration system for learners in 2016, under leadership of premier Panyaza Lesufi. This was part of the department’s efforts to prevent long queues and encourage a tech-savvy school registration process.
Although the system has been prone to hiccups over the years, the education department has remained resolute and insisted on using it for the grade one and eight classes.
The GDE has cautioned parents about incomplete applications, saying these will not be processed for placement. “Currently, we have identified over 12 000 parents who have not completed the full process.
“To ensure a smooth application process, parents must either upload certified copies of required documents online, or submit them to all selected schools within seven days of application. Online document uploads need to be done only once for all selected schools to view. We strongly recommend applying to a minimum of three and a maximum of five schools to increase the chances of successful placement.
We urge all parents to ensure the cellphone numbers they provide are accurate, as ongoing communication regarding their application will be sent via SMS notifications. The username for documented parents is their 13-digit ID number, passport number, or permit number, while parents without documents will receive a 13-digit username. All parents must create a password to be kept safe along with the provided username.
“Applicants who have submitted complete applications can expect to receive offers of placement from 16 September. We strongly advise parents who have already submitted applications to log in to their accounts using their username and password to ensure they have completed all necessary steps.”
The GDE says parents without the means to apply online can be assisted across all schools in the province, as well as at its 80 decentralised walk-in centres.
Parents or guardians can contact 0800 000 789 for assistance. Alternatively, they can send a query on WhatsApp on 060 891 0361, or e-mail gdeinfo@gauteng.gov.za.
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