Education authorities in Gauteng have defended the province’s online school registration system amid growing frustration from parents struggling to secure school placements for their children.
Some affected parents have called on the department to abandon the online system in favour of walk-in applications, arguing that the current process disadvantages learners and leaves many without placements.
Addressing frustrated parents at Ebony Park, outside Midrand, Johannesburg District Acting Director Klaas Macheke said the online admissions system was introduced to broaden access to education and curb discriminatory gatekeeping practices previously experienced at some schools.
Macheke recounted witnessing parents queuing outside schools as early as 3am, only to be unfairly excluded during the admissions process.
“I recall arriving at a school at around three o’clock in the morning and finding long queues of parents. Among the first 50 people in line, about 20 were black parents. However, when placements were finalised, not a single child from those parents was accepted,” said Macheke.
He alleged that some schools would scrutinise parents’ residential addresses, occupations and even conduct online checks on their income or credit records before rejecting applications.
“It was on this basis that we felt that if education is to be inclusive, these hidden and unfair practices had to be addressed,” he said.
While acknowledging that the online system is not without challenges, Macheke urged parents to remain patient, assuring them that departmental officials are available to assist with system-related difficulties, including placements at schools that may not be a learner’s first choice.
“Yes, there will be teething problems, and we will continue working on them until we get it right. But we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater. When problems arise, we will resolve them,” he said.
Meanwhile, some parents shared harrowing experiences of the placement crisis. Hangwi Tshishonga, a resident of the area, said her 13-year-old daughter was forced to rent a room in Alexandra for the entire 2024 academic year after failing to secure placement at any of the 10 high schools in her area.
Tshishonga said she has been camping outside the education department’s district offices in the hope of receiving assistance.
Macheke explained that the pressure on schools in the area is driven by severe overcrowding, noting that the region has approximately 14 primary schools, each with enrolments exceeding 2,000 learners. These schools feed into only 10 high schools, all of which are already operating beyond capacity.
As a result, he said, the department is sometimes compelled to place learners at schools outside their residential areas, particularly where accommodation is available and language needs can be met.