GAUTENG - During the 2025 Online Admissions placement period, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) held a media briefing on Sunday, 15 September 2024, where the placement process was extensively explained, says GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona.
He added that a media statement from the same presentation made during the briefing was issued on the same day, and the GDE clearly stated that it had identified schools that received an overwhelming number of applications which exceeds the capacity of learners that they are able to accommodate.
"Such schools are regarded as high pressure schools, and the areas they reside in were termed as high-pressure areas," said Mabona.
"292 Primary Schools and 277 Secondary Schools in the province were regarded as high-pressure schools. An example of such schools would be Laerskool Akasia which had the capacity to place only 240 Grade 1 learners but received 1 475 Grade 1 applications. An example for secondary schools would be Hoërskool Langehoven which had the capacity to place on 300 Grade 8 learners, but received 3 081 Grade 8 applications."
To assist high-pressure schools in accommodating more learners, Mabona said the Department implemented several interventions to address classroom shortages and enhance learning spaces. These measures included the provision of mobile classroom units, building satellite schools and transferring of funds to schools for self-build classroom projects, enabling schools to expand their capacity based on immediate needs. These measures were implemented to meet the growing demand of Gauteng public education.
"Despite these efforts, it is important to note that it was not possible to place all applicants in their preferred schools due to capacity constraints. As a result, applicants who could not be accommodated in oversubscribed schools were placed in the next closest schools with available space. Throughout this challenge, the Department remained committed to ensuring that every learner was placed in a school, even if it was not their first choice, while continuously working to improve infrastructure and expand access to quality education," he clarified.
"As the Department, we must correct the assertion that we said we will build over 4 000 Satellite Schools. In our most recent media statement regarding late applications issued on 29 January 2025 which must be noted availed an opportunity to parents who did not apply during our application period, we announced that the satellite schools we introduced in 2025 will provide over 4 417 additional spaces for placement in high-pressure areas. It is important to mention that some of these satellite schools have started to operate while we complete building the remainder. In the interim some schools are over capacitated while waiting for completion of said schools."
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane added:
"Since the start of the placement period on 19 September 2024, Mabona said the Department has consistently updated the public on placement challenges and interventions to mitigate capacity at schools through regular media statements and briefings. Therefore, claims of newly discovered overcrowding are misleading, as the Department announced these issues before, along with plans to alleviate pressure on affected schools.
“We remain committed to transparency and ensuring every learner is placed in a suitable learning environment. We are on course to alleviate pressure from all identified schools. Schools are proceeding with the self-build classroom project and new schools will also be introduced across the province accordingly".
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