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In today's Standing Committee, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) reported that all learners have been placed following a briefing by the Equal Education Law Centre (EELC) on school admissions in the Western Cape.

Whilst the WCED does regularly receive emails pertaining to new applicants seeking placement, we will be requesting further details from the EELC regarding those learners who have contacted them. An all-of-society approach is needed in order to assist them in receiving the quality education our province has to offer and if there are any unplaced learners remaining, such information is urgently required in order for the WCED to assist. The best interest of children is of paramount importance and it will require every single one of us to ensure no child is left behind.

The admission of learners requires substantial administrative and financial planning such that learners are placed on time in their respective schools. However, every year, the Western Cape experiences a continual trend of late applications. By mid-March this year, the WCED received more than 70 000 late applications, which is furthered by the annual migration of approximately 18 000 learners to the Western Cape from the rest of the country.

To combat this, the WCED opens the application process early in the year and sets up pop-up desks in various shopping malls to assist parents in applications before the due date. This assistance is also offered at all District Offices for those outside of the Metro. In addition to this, the online application process is zero-rated which means that it is free for everyone to use. We hope that the WCED will increase these pop-up desks in public spaces and liaise with government institutions, such as libraries and Thusong centres, for the following year in order to increase access to the online platform even further.

More importantly, greater capacity is needed to accommodate the increasing number of children. It is for this reason why the Department is increasing its infrastructure development programme to more than R2.5 billion - an astounding increase of almost 50% which shows a caring government in action.

The WCED also stressed the importance of parents seeking to initiate an appeals process to contact the provincial Minister's office via the following channels:

• Email: edumin@westerncape.gov.za
• Fax: 086 441 9431
• Postal Address: Private Bag X9161, Cape Town 8000

We welcome the WCED's announcement today that plans to digitise this process are ongoing and it is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

As the DA in the Western Cape, we appreciate the cooperation of all stakeholders and look forward to stellar work of the WCED for the rest of the year.

Issued by DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Education Deidré Baartman