IN CONVERSATION WITH SERGIO ISA DOS SANTOS
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Six-week delays by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to open the school's online admission process for the 2026 academic year will be a repeat of chaos and misery, resulting in learners missing months of schooling.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng reiterates that the application process should commence early April to give parents time to apply and allow the department to review submissions, preventing situations where learners are left without school admission.
In May 2025, the DA issued a clear call to GDE MEC Matome Chiloane to urgently open the 2026 online school admission process. Over the years, thousands of Grades 1 and 8 learners have suffered due to system glitches, unfair placements, and inadequate planning, resulting in late placements and widespread frustration among parents. The failure to heed our call may result in a repeat of this crisis in 2026.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would open the online application process earlier than this current administration by no later than April each year with late applications closing before September. This would ensure that we place as many learners as possible before the academic year begins. We would also provide parents with timely updates and ensure transparency, allowing parents to track the status of each application individually.
DA Gauteng welcomes the introduction of 81 decentralised walk-in centres, a long-standing DA recommendation. We will submit questions to MEC Chiloane in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to determine the locations of these centres and conduct oversight inspections to assess their effectiveness. We also want to know how six weeks delays in commencing the online admission will impact the process compared to previous years.
The DA will continue to monitor the online admission process. We will hold the department and its MEC accountable for delays in opening the application process and ensure that the voices of frustrated parents and learners are heard.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng reiterates that the application process should commence early April to give parents time to apply and allow the department to review submissions, preventing situations where learners are left without school admission.
In May 2025, the DA issued a clear call to GDE MEC Matome Chiloane to urgently open the 2026 online school admission process. Over the years, thousands of Grades 1 and 8 learners have suffered due to system glitches, unfair placements, and inadequate planning, resulting in late placements and widespread frustration among parents. The failure to heed our call may result in a repeat of this crisis in 2026.
A DA-led Gauteng provincial government would open the online application process earlier than this current administration by no later than April each year with late applications closing before September. This would ensure that we place as many learners as possible before the academic year begins. We would also provide parents with timely updates and ensure transparency, allowing parents to track the status of each application individually.
DA Gauteng welcomes the introduction of 81 decentralised walk-in centres, a long-standing DA recommendation. We will submit questions to MEC Chiloane in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to determine the locations of these centres and conduct oversight inspections to assess their effectiveness. We also want to know how six weeks delays in commencing the online admission will impact the process compared to previous years.
The DA will continue to monitor the online admission process. We will hold the department and its MEC accountable for delays in opening the application process and ensure that the voices of frustrated parents and learners are heard.