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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), led by MEC Lebogang Maile, has finally announced that the 2027 Grade 1 and Grade 8 online admissions process will open on Wednesday, 4 August 2026, and close on Friday, 5 September 2026. Although this announcement provides some clarity, the continued delay in the admissions process poses a risk of another crisis in Gauteng, potentially leading to missed school time.

The DA will closely monitor the admissions process and conduct oversight visits to district offices across Gauteng to assess the department’s readiness, identify challenges faced by parents, and hold the GDE accountable for ensuring that every learner is placed in a school before the start of the 2027 academic year.

The delay is concerning given the GDE’s repeated admissions failures. Previous application cycles have been plagued by system challenges, late placements and learners being allocated to schools outside their parents’ preferred choices. Despite these recurring problems, the department appears to have learnt little from past mistakes.

The continued lack of proper planning and transparency risks repeating the admissions crises of previous years and could once again leave thousands of learners without school placements when the 2027 academic year begins.

The GDE could have benefited from observing the approach of the DA-led Western Cape, where applications for Grades R, 1, and 8 opened on 10 March 2026 and closed on 14 April 2026. This timeline provided parents and learners with certainty, showing how careful planning and strong governance can facilitate a smooth school admissions process.

A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would open the admissions process in April, establish decentralised walk-in centres to provide accessible assistance to parents, and ensure that all learners are placed before the new academic year begins.

Issued by Sergio Isa Dos Santos MPL - DA Shadow MEC for Education