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Halfway through the year, thousands of Gauteng parents remain in the dark because the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has yet to release the 2027 online admissions timetable for Grade 1 and Grade 8 learners. The department's lack of communication and delays are creating uncertainty, threatening another admission crisis in Gauteng, which could negatively impact learners and lead to missed valuable school time.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) reiterates its call on the GDE to prevent another disaster by urgently announcing the opening and closing dates for the 2027 Grade 1 and Grade 8 online admissions process, as well as the dates for the late applications process.

It is deeply concerning that every year, parents are urged to prepare early to secure placements for their children. Yet the department responsible for managing the admissions process is failing to communicate even the most basic admissions timetable. This lack of communication confirms that this is not an administrative glitch, but a consistent pattern of poor planning and weak leadership that is failing the residents of Gauteng.

Despite years of admission failures, the GDE has failed to learn from its mistakes, risking a repetition of the chaos that has left thousands of learners unplaced at the start of the academic year. During the 2026 admissions cycle, many learners only received placements after schools had reopened, with some learners essentially missing one whole term of valuable teaching and learning.

As the time available to finalise placements continues to shorten, the department, at its own peril, comes under pressure to place learners before the start of the academic year. This often results in learners being placed at schools that were not among their parents' preferred choices or at schools located far from their homes.

The delay also raises concerns about the department's claims of available capacity. Although it told the Education Portfolio Committee in January that 53,234 Grade 1 and 8 spaces were available across Gauteng, many schools remain severely overcrowded.

The longer the department delays announcing the admissions timetable, the less time remains to process applications, verify information, finalise placements, and deal with appeals before the start of the 2027 academic year.

In the DA-led Western Cape, applications for Grades R, 1, and 8 opened on 10 March 2026 and closed on 14 April 2026, giving parents and learners certainty ahead of the new academic year. This demonstrates that with proper planning and competent governance, school admissions can be managed efficiently and without unnecessary delay.

See Admissions Placement Report here.

A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would also commence the admissions process in April, provide accessible support through decentralised walk-in centres, and finalise school placements before learners return to the classroom. Parents deserve certainty and sufficient time to prepare for uniforms, transport, stationery, and other school-related expenses.

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