Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, has announced the complete placement of the remaining Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners, whose parents and guardians applied online through the 2026 Online Admissions system.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said that approximately 484 Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners remained unplaced in Ekurhuleni, specifically in Tembisa and Kempton Park.
“By Tuesday evening on 3 March, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) had successfully placed all remaining learners in alternative schools in the respective areas,” the department said.
The total figure of Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners that were placed for the 2026 academic year through Gauteng’s Online Admissions system is 392 224. The main application period, which ran from 24 July to 5 August 2025, accounts for a majority of these applications.
Meanwhile, 8.5% (33 650) of these applications were made during the late application period from 17 December 2025 to 30 January 2026.
The department expressed its sincere appreciation for the patience and resilience shown by parents and guardians, particularly while efforts were underway to secure placements for all remaining learners. The department said schools will initiate the appropriate catch-up plans to assist learners recover any curriculum time lost.
Chiloane emphasised that the Online Admissions system remains an important transformation tool to ensure that all schools in the province are accessible to all children.
“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.
“In addition to system improvements, the Gauteng government will be constructing 18 additional new schools to increase capacity in the high-pressure areas that we have identified,” Chiloane said. – SAnews.gov.za
