South Africa’s Education Committee Urges Fairness in Learner Placement
The South African Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has emphasized the need for transparency and fairness in the placement of learners in schools.
During a meeting held on Tuesday, March 11, the committee reiterated that no child should be denied access to education due to administrative delays or lack of available officials to facilitate placements.
The session included briefings from the Western Cape and Gauteng education departments on student admissions, migration trends, and placement backlogs. Committee Chairperson Joy Maimela highlighted past challenges in placing learners promptly, attributing delays to migration pressures in both provinces. The committee sought an update to ensure that no student remains without a school for the 2025 academic year.
Western Cape Faces Placement Challenges
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) reported that, as of last week, 16 Grade R learners and 18 Grade 8 learners were yet to secure school placements. Additionally, the department was working to place 647 Grade R learners from the 73,899 applications received in 2024. While some schools have accommodated extra students, efforts are also being made to collaborate with registered independent institutions to absorb the overflow.
The WCED received 166,681 applications by the end of 2024, with an additional 50,194 late applications and 53,949 very late applications submitted by January 2025. Despite extensive awareness campaigns on application deadlines, many parents still applied after the official period closed.
With the province’s school-age population projected to grow by 3.95% between 2025 and 2029, authorities anticipate an additional 1.196 million residents, further straining educational infrastructure. To address this, the Western Cape aims to establish seven new schools and construct nearly 300 new classrooms by March 2025.
Committee Member Sedukanelo Tshepo Louw raised concerns about WCED’s online application system, alleging possible bias and manipulation. He questioned whether the system accounted for social and racial disparities, arguing that children from disadvantaged backgrounds were being systematically excluded from suburban schools.
Another committee member, Yanga Govana, shared her personal struggle in securing school placements for her children after relocating to the Western Cape. She cited a lack of communication from authorities, with placement updates arriving only in mid-February, leaving her other children’s education uncertain.
Gauteng’s Response to Placement Issues
In contrast, the Gauteng Department of Education reported a more structured approach to admissions. The application window ran from July 11 to August 14, 2024, attracting 325,858 submissions. Placement commenced on September 16, and by December 11, all applicants with complete submissions had been placed.
To accommodate late applicants, Gauteng extended the process from December 11, 2024, prioritizing learners with incomplete applications or those who missed the initial deadline. By January 31, 2025, a total of 359,115 students had been placed.
Additionally, 5,310 parents approached the department’s walk-in centers in January requesting placements, with 4,972 students placed in available schools. As of March 6, 99 more learners sought alternative placements, which the department is addressing through waiting lists and encouraging students to remain in their current schools.
To mitigate the impact of in-migration, the Gauteng Department of Education has increased classroom capacity, introduced mobile schools, and deployed additional temporary classrooms.
Committee Member Dr. Delmaine Christians acknowledged the province’s challenges due to migration pressures and inquired about long-term solutions for expanding school infrastructure.
Call for Equitable Access
Summarizing the discussions, Chairperson Maimela stressed the importance of transparent admission processes to ensure that learners from disadvantaged backgrounds are not excluded from top-performing schools in wealthier suburbs. The committee urged both provincial governments to refine their placement strategies to guarantee equal educational opportunities for all children in South Africa.
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