Staff Reporter.
The Gauteng Online Admissions for Grade 1 and 8 for the 2023 academic year will officially commence on 22 July 2022 and will close on 19 August 2022.
In a statement on Monday, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said that it has reviewed the online system, as well as the previous two-phased approach.
Following an analysis of various online parent surveys and stakeholder consultations, the system has now been enhanced to follow a single application process, allowing all applicants to apply at the same time during the application period.
The GDE said that it believes this overall simplified applications process will satisfy everyone.
“The application period will start on 22 July 2022 at 08:00 AM for Grade 1 and Grade 8 applications, and it will close on 19 August 2022 at 00:00 AM. To apply, visit: www.gdeadmissions.gov.za. Parents and guardians will receive SMS notifications of placement offers to either accept or decline from 3 – 31 October 2022,” the GDE said.
Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, said they are hopeful that these implemented enhancements will be helpful to all applicants.
He urged parents and guardians who will be seeking space for their children at Gauteng schools for Grade 1 or 8 in 2023, to make sure they diarise the announced dates as they are very important.
“Officials incorporated inputs from our stakeholders on how to improve the system. Indeed, we are hopeful that these implemented enhancements will be helpful to all applicants. Accordingly, we must reiterate that capacity remains our challenge in Gauteng, and a factor that applicants must always bear in mind when applying,” Lesufi said.
The department said that Grade R learners will not automatically be accepted to Grade 1 without application, even if they apply to the schools where they are currently enrolled in.
“This means that all learners that are 5 years old turning 6 years old by 30 June 2023 and are currently enrolled in Grade R in a school or ECD centre, as well as learners that are not in any type of school, must apply for admission at a minimum of three and a maximum of five schools,” the department said.
Parents and guardians will be given up until 26 August 2022 (7 days after application period ends) to upload or submit their documents.