Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, has announced the complete placement of all remaining Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners who applied through the province’s 2026 Online Admissions system, bringing to an end weeks of uncertainty for hundreds of families.
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) confirmed that approximately 484 learners in Ekurhuleni particularly in Tembisa and Kempton Park had remained unplaced in recent days due to capacity constraints.
By Tuesday evening, the department said all learners had been accommodated at alternative schools within their respective areas.
In total, 392 224 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners have been placed for the 2026 academic year through the Online Admissions system. The bulk of applications were received during the main application period from 24 July to 5 August 2025.
An additional 33 650 applications representing 8.5% of the total were submitted during the late application window between 17 December 2025 and 30 January 2026, placing further strain on already pressured schools.
Gauteng continues to experience rapid population growth, with many families relocating to urban centres such as Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane in search of economic opportunities. This migration has placed significant pressure on school infrastructure, particularly in high-density communities like Tembisa and parts of Kempton Park.
Each year, the province faces challenges in placing learners in so-called “high-pressure” areas where demand exceeds available classroom space. Late applications, documentation issues and parents applying to already full schools often compound delays in final placements.
Over the past few years, the Online Admissions system has been both praised for improving transparency and criticised for technical glitches and placement frustrations. Parents have previously raised concerns about system crashes, delayed placement offers and learners being allocated to schools far from their homes.
The department expressed appreciation for the patience shown by parents and guardians while officials worked to secure placements. Schools are expected to implement catch-up programmes to assist learners who may have missed curriculum time while awaiting confirmation.
Chiloane described the Online Admissions system as a key transformation tool aimed at promoting fair and equitable access to schooling.
“We are pleased to have demonstrated this through the placement of all applicants who applied online. However, we are determined to improve the system to ease some of the frustrations that are encountered during this process,” he said.
To address long-term pressure, the Gauteng government has committed to constructing 18 new schools in identified high-demand areas to expand capacity and reduce annual placement backlogs.
